


Prince of Purgatory

by Madnad



Category: Wynonna Earp (TV)
Genre: F/M, Native American Character(s)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-24
Updated: 2016-10-24
Packaged: 2018-08-24 11:56:25
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 13
Words: 23,470
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8371414
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Madnad/pseuds/Madnad
Summary: Set after season one, but ignoring the final scene.Doc Holliday, unable to participate in a love triangle any longer, he decides to seek a life of his own outside Purgatory.





	1. Chapter 1

Mato looked up as headlights pulled into the small diner’s carpark. It was unusual for a customer to arrive so late when the weather was this bad, though they were open until midnight. She watched as a pink Cadillac parked under one of the lamp posts, and the dark shape of a tall slender man in a hat climbed out and walked towards the double doors. Mato’s tried to force her attention back to the conversation in hand as the doors swung open. When she saw the stranger, she felt a strange pull, a tingle down her spine. She put it down to the cold winter air that followed the stranger in.

‘So why _is_ it called the Archimedes Pie?’ asked the young man sat at the counter.

Mato didn’t answer immediately. She watched the stranger walk right by her and head to the far corner, away from the other patrons.

‘Mato?’

Her eyes moved back to her customer. Joel was one of her regulars. His family owned the motel about 2 miles away, and he worked the night desk. He would come in for food before his shift, always a brisket sandwich, pie and coffee. She smiled at Joel.

‘Because Archimedes discovered the exact value of pi. He is the father of calculus, and found pi to 99.9% accuracy… over 2000 years ago! What better name to give to the best pie, but that of the man that gave us pi,’ and she winked at the young man.

She looked around, her eyes once again drawn to the stranger sat in the far corner. His face was half shadowed by a beaten up looking cowboy hat. She walked over with a strange mix of trepidation and excitement. As she got closer, she could see that he had a luxurious moustache which he stroked one edge with a finger, the rest of his chin littered with salt and pepper stubble. The moustache wasn’t a look that normally appealed to her, but on him, she thought anything else would have looked out of place.

‘What can I get you?’

‘Coffee, please,’ he answered quietly as he hugged tighter into his coat. She couldn’t blame him for feeling the cold. The wind was still bitter outside, as spring was still several weeks away. As she turned, he spoke up again. ‘Are you still doing hot food?’

Mato glanced at the clock. It was five minutes past eleven. They usually stopped serving food at 11 PM. She knew that Andreas, the chef, would grumble, but she could handle him. ‘Sure, what will you have?’ she smiled at the stranger.

He ordered one of the specials, and she headed back behind the counter and handed over the ticket.

*

He watched the waitress walk away. He wasn’t sure why he had pulled in. His intension had been to keep driving through the night. Maybe it had been the bright lights of the diner catching his attention, offering a warm distraction from his dark thoughts. He had intended to just order coffee, but the waitress had intrigued him immediately when he walked in and overheard her talking about Archimedes. He was not sure why he had ordered the food as he wasn’t hungry. He had felt an overpowering urge to spend a more time in her company, and it was the only thing he could think of.

He watched as she handed over the ticket to the chef, who flashed a filthy stare in his direction. The jukebox finished a track, and in the brief quite between songs, he could just about hear her say that if he did this he could go home straight after, and that she would clean and lock up. He saw the chef nod in agreement, the deal struck, then she turned and smiled at him, wordlessly letting him know his order was on its way.

He kept his eyes shaded by his hat, but watched her as she chatted amiably to the couple of customers sat at the counter, before waving them off as they left into the cold night. He liked the way she dealt with people. She was kind and courteous, but he got the feeling she brooked no disrespect. She seem to be well liked by the patrons in return.

She was a handsome woman with an exotic beauty. He guessed she was mid to late thirties, but in very fine shape. He could see she was clearly Indian, though he suspected not full blooded. A half-breed perhaps, a redbone. He had encountered many Indians warriors during his previous life, but the few Indian women he had met were quiet and subservient. This woman, much like the modern women he had met in Purgatory, was not subservient, or quiet. He guessed that Indian women must have achieved their emancipation along with white women. Another indication of how the world was different than when he left it.

His thoughts grew dark again, as he considered how much life was taken from him. He was constantly surrounded by reminders of how much the world had changed in his absence. The way he saw it, he had two choices now. He could continue to live on the outskirts of humanity until something finally killed him, or he could try and integrate, to gain himself a new life. What kind of life that would be, he had no idea. He wasn’t like most men.

The waitress brought over his food, but instead of leaving immediately she stared at him. He lifted his head and looked her directly in her dark almond shaped eyes, a concerned look on her face. Her skin was a beautiful caramel colour, her black hair tied back which served to accentuate the broad high cheekbones, and full lips.

‘Money or a woman?’ she asked.

‘I beg your pardon, ma’am?’

‘That expression you’re wearing… it’s usually a woman or money that’s the cause.’

He smiled dryly. ‘I don’t have much success with either it seems.’

‘You have to kiss a lot of frogs before you find a prince,’ she quipped before walking away, back behind the counter.

*

Mato made herself busy tidying up, the stranger being her only customer. When she had finished, she glanced over at him. He was sat staring out of the window, though she was fairly sure he wasn’t seeing the view of the carpark. She found his dress a little strange, like he had just walked out of the old west. His clothes were incongruous with the pink sedan he arrived in. She wondered if there was some kind of renaissance fair in town.

She then noticed he hadn’t touched his food, so she grabbed the coffee pot and walked over.

‘Is there something wrong with the food?’

The stranger broke out of his reverie and sat up straighter. ‘No ma’am, nothing wrong at all,’ he apologised, and raised his hands in a shrug. ‘I guess I wasn’t hungry after all. My sincere apologies for the trouble,’ he added as he reached into a pocket for some cash.

Mato filled his coffee mug. ‘It’s no trouble at all,’ she said kindly, with a soft smile. There was something about the stranger that drew her to him, something about the sadness and darkness in his eyes. She had seen that look before, in the mirror. She should have walked away, left him to his thoughts, but inexplicably, she found she couldn’t.

She flopped into the seat opposite him. ‘What’s your name, stranger,’ she asked in what she figured was her best old west barkeep voice.

He smiled a little, though it didn’t quite make it to his eyes. She had thought him handsome when she had spoken to him earlier, but now up close, he was even better. She liked the way his cheeks dimpled when he smiled. He held out a hand, ‘My name is John Henry, but my friends call me Doc. I’m very pleased to make your acquaintance.’

She took his hand, the briefest touch seeming to crackle along her skin. She gasped a little in surprise when he leaned forward and pressed a quick kiss against her knuckles. His hand felt rough, but warm. His lips were soft and his moustache tickled the skin of her hand. She found herself lost for a moment in his sad blue-grey eyes.

She cleared her throat and attempted to gather her wits. All the dangers she has faced in her life, the battles she had fought, and here she was, undone by a handsome stranger.

‘Doc? Are you a doctor then?’

‘I haven’t practiced for many years, but I do have a degree in dentistry that allows me to use the nomenclature of doctor.’

 _Nomenclature of doctor? Who talks like that now a days? He really is sticking to this old west persona,_ she thought to herself.

‘And where are you from? That’s a Georgian accent if I am not mistaken?’

‘You are quite correct, ma’am’ he answered with a nod of his head, a note of surprise in his voice.

‘Please… call me Mato,’ she laughed throwing a hand up. ‘You’re making me feel old calling me ma’am.’

 ‘You’ll never be as old as me, but I apologise for making you uncomfortable… Mato.’ Doc gave her a sad smile. ‘In answer to your earlier question, I hail from Griffin, Georgia, but more recently from Purgatory.’

Mato raises a brow in surprise. ‘Not literally?’ she joked.

‘It sure felt like it at the time,’ he answered drily, and the sad smile disappeared, his haunted expression returned. ‘I’ve kept you from your bed long enough,’ he added quickly as he stood. ‘Good evening to you, Mato,’ he ended with a small bow then left.

Mato was surprised at his abrupt departure, but could do nothing but silently watch his long legs stride out of the door. She got up and turned off the lights, locked up and headed home.   



	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc returns to the diner for a second evening. Mato learns a little bit more about why he looks so miserable.

The next day Doc returned an hour earlier than the previous evening. Mato couldn’t deny she was pleased to see him. It had been a long busy day, and he had crossed her mind often. He was an enigma that she felt she had to get to the bottom of.

Her heart rate doubled when she saw him walk in, and she watched him move to sit in the same spot as the previous night. The diner was fairly quiet, apart from a table of four teenage girls sat with hot chocolates, giggling over pictures on their phones. The temperature was pretty low again today, which usually discouraged people from going out to eat.

She grabbed the coffee pot and a mug and brought it over to him.

‘Good evening, Doc,’ she greeted him with a friendly smile, and poured him a drink.

He tugged the rim of his hat. ‘Solicitations to you, Mato.’

She liked how the southern twang of his accent, and the soft timber of his voice made her name sound. ‘Are you ordering any food today, Doc?’

Doc glanced at the chef who was peering over the pass. ‘Please pass on my regards to the chef, but I will decline,’ he replied with a quick smile.

Mato smiled back, and reluctantly left him to his thoughts and coffee.

At 10:30, the table of teenagers left, and another regular, Jessie, was waiting on his order. He was a truck driver who regularly stopped by for sandwiches on his way to Grand Forks. Once Jessie left, Doc was once again the only remaining customer. Mato cleared the other table, and put the dishes in the washer.

She glanced over at Doc. He was sat staring out of the window, a finger idly running around the rim of the mug. Mato shook her head. She had momentarily been hypnotised by the motion of his broad digit moving slowly backwards and forwards against the edge of the cup, an action she had found strangely erotic. _Pull yourself together, Mato._

She tried to ignore him, but without any other distractions, she found she couldn’t.

‘Hey, Andreas. Why don’t you head off? It’s too cold for any other customers to venture out,’ she glanced over at Doc. ‘I’ll lock up when this one is done,’ she added.

Andreas chuckled and looked over at the cowboy in the corner, then back at her before raising an eyebrow. ‘Well, if you’re sure?’ he asked. ‘Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do,’ he laughed as he took off his apron. Mato tried unsuccessfully not to blush.

She smoothed back her hair and the front of her uniform, then grabbed the coffee pot and an extra mug. She didn’t wait for an invitation, but sat herself opposite Doc and topped up his mug before pouring herself a cup.

He looked at her, an unreadable expression on his face, as he watched her pour herself a drink. Mato was sure that there was the twitch of a smile visible, even under that moustache.

‘So how is our small town of Little Falls treating you?’ she asked.

‘I have found some accommodation at a motel not far from here. It is exiguous, but sufficient for my needs.’

‘That’s probably the Iron Horse Motel, near the train station. Yeah, it’s a little run down, but there’s not much other choice,’ she answered before sipping her hot coffee.

Doc leaned over, and she was pleased to note he was a little more animated than she had seen him before. ‘I have spent most of the day in your library. What a place of wonder that is. So much knowledge in one place, I found it a wrench to leave when the patrons asked me to.’

Mato laughed gently, but not in a mocking fashion. It was unusual and charming to see a grown man enthusing about a library. He wasn’t your average man though, this was already evident. ‘Our library is pretty small, but I am glad you found it enjoyable.’

‘I have tasked myself to learn more about the state of the world, and its unfathomable technology.’

‘The world is in a pretty bad way if I am honest. The people with the power are corrupt, profits are afforded more concern than the state of the planet, 1% of the population holds 99% of the wealth, and many people are jobless and living in abject poverty.’ She shook her head in disgust. ‘I don’t believe that this is how the world was meant to be.’

‘You don’t think this is all part of God’s plan?’ Doc queried, his curiosity evident.

‘God can go fuck himself,’ she answered with venom. She saw the surprise on Doc’s face, and immediately apologised for her cursing.

‘I am not so high-class that I’m offended by a woman who curses,’ he laughed. ‘I see it as a sign of your passion on the topic. You have no need to apologise to me,’ he answered, and laid a hand on her wrist. ‘So, you do not believe in God, then?’

‘He either does not exist, or he is happy to sit in his omnipotence and watch us suffer and do nothing. Either way, he does not deserve my prayers.’

Doc just nodded slowly without comment.

*

Doc thought about what Mato had said. It was interesting her point of view more or less mirrored his own. He had had a lot of time to think about things while stuck down the well. He alone was evidence that there were indeed supernatural beings in this world, but that didn’t mean there had to be a God. The revenants that Wynonna dispatched supposedly went back to Hell. He was confident Hell existed in some form, most likely as an alternate dimension. Was it the Hell that the bible mentions, though? He didn’t think so.

He noted there was a darkness peeking out from behind the pink uniform and cheery smile Mato wore in her duty as waitress that felt all too familiar. Damn if it didn’t her more interesting. He had originally intended to move on to another town, but this smart, strong and clearly intellectual woman had inhabited his thoughts since he left the diner yesterday, and before he came to his senses, he found himself seeking accommodation in this small North Dakotan town.

He had driven slowly past the diner during the day, and considered stopping in, but the car park was full, meaning Mato would likely be too busy to talk, even if she was working. He had even made it as far as the town boundary before turning around and finding a motel. _It’s just for a day or two, though_ , he assured himself.

He watched her face as some internal monologue was clearly taking place. A familiar weariness appeared on her face, not from the hours on her feet waiting on customers, but from some hidden burden that clearly weighed heavy.

He found it odd that he was comfortable wallowing in his own dark thoughts, yet he found it hard to watch this young woman do the same.

‘While I was in the library, I looked up the source of your unusual phrase from yesterday involving princes and frogs,’ he told her, hoping it would lighten the mood once again.

‘You didn’t understand the reference? You should have said,’ she laughed. ‘I thought everyone knew the story. It was written, like, 200 years ago!’

‘I have been fairly isolated for many years, and I am afraid the stories of the Brothers Grimm did not quite make it on to my reading list,’ he quipped, stroking the corner of his moustache.

‘So, can I presume that the cause of your current woes are due to a frog, and not a princess?’

Doc chuckled. ‘There have been a few frogs in my life. The latest of which would likely object strongly to me comparing her to an amphibian.’

Mato laughed heartily, and he couldn’t help but smile in response.

‘Tell me about her,’ she asked.

Doc was hesitant. There was a lot about his relationship with Wynonna that he couldn’t reveal. ‘Her name is Wynonna. We hadn’t known each other long, though I was once very close to a relative of hers. We were allied in a common cause, which brought us together. She also assisted me on a personal matter.’

‘Did you love her?’ Mato asked quietly.

Doc thought for a moment. ‘No, I thought I did. In truth, it was just mutually beneficial sex. I had a strong affection for her of course, and still do, due in no small part to my connection to her family. She had a younger sister too, and I felt protective of them both. Wynonna is very attractive, and as broken a creature as me, so we kinda understood each other. But… deep down, I knew she was in love with another, even if she refuses to admit this to herself. I saw them kiss. It bothered me for a while, but I realised there was no future in Purgatory for me. Wynonna has all the help she needs, so I left.’

‘So if it isn’t a lost love responsible for the dark expression you had when you came in yesterday, what is it?’

Doc sighed. ‘You could say it’s another woman,’ he spat out. ‘And this one I have no compunction comparing to the most odious of amphibians.’

He waved a finger towards Mato. ‘And no, if you were wondering, I did not love this woman at all. She tricked me, cursed me and betrayed me to punish a friend. I spent a long _long_ time alone, with only my hatred and desire for revenge to keep me alive. Though not ideal, I have achieved something akin to revenge, yet I find that I am lost. I am without direction. I feel like a stranger to this world, as it is not the one I left. I thought for a while that working with Wynonna… on our common cause would fill that void, give me a purpose, but it was untenable.’


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mato can no longer deny that she is attracted to Doc. When he shows up for a third night at the diner, she determines to seduce him

Mato sat back in surprise. She hadn’t expected him to open up so much. She didn’t follow some of it, and there was still plenty he was holding back. She got the impression he wanted to share more, but for whatever reason, he chose not to. She watched him as he stared out of the window at nothing in particular, his mind now clearly elsewhere. He appeared to be someone who was capable, someone that could look after himself, yet he seemed vulnerable at the same time. It was like catnip to Mato. There was nothing more attractive than a strong man willing to show his weaknesses.

The silence between them should have felt oppressive, but Mato felt comfortable in this man’s company. He didn’t feel like a stranger to her at all, he felt like an old friend. She sat and drank her coffee, drinking in the details of his features.

His eyes had slight crow’s feet at the sides that made him look mischievous when he smiled. Dark thick brows sat low above his blue-grey eyes. There was a hint of grey in his sideburns, and the stubble that graced his square masculine jaw, that suggested he was a few years older than her, but not by much she suspected. He had longish dark hair that curled slightly at base of his neck. He wore a dark collarless shirt, as he had done the previous day, under a waistcoat. His denim jeans, long grey coat and boots finished off the cowboy look. She found his old-world style and manners quite charming. _What a fool this Wynonna was,_ she thought.

Doc suddenly stood up. He offered a hand to assist Mato out of her seat when it was apparent she too intended to stand. He kept hold of her hand and stepped close. She found herself trembling slightly. He slowly pressed his full lips to her knuckles, this time holding them there, his eyes pinning her to the spot. She realised her breathing had quickened and her mouth was dry. She wrested her eyes from his, to glance at the lips pressed against her hand and felt a rush of desire.

His eyes wrinkled as he smiled a sad smile. ‘I bid you a good evening, Mato,’ he said softly, and let go of her hand. She felt the loss of his touch keenly.

‘Until we meet again,’ he added, before striding purposely towards the door.

As the door closed behind him, Mato flopped back into the seat, not trusting her legs to support her. Once again, she found herself wondering how this man was able to affect her so. She had faced many trials in her life, yet she still found herself undone by affairs of the heart. She decided she would tackle this problem the way she did all problems. She wasn’t great at leaving things to sort themselves out. She was often accused of being too blunt, or even aggressive, but that wasn’t her intention. A resolution to a problem was always just more satisfactory. Should she see him again, she would confront the problem head on.

*

Doc climbed into his car and gripped the steering wheel tightly. It had taken every ounce of his will power to walk out of that diner, and now he was regretting it intensely. He saw the lights go out, and quickly started his engine. He didn’t want to still be sat in the car park when Mato left for home.

Back in his motel, Mato’s face was all he could see every time he closed his eyes, a view far superior to the mildewed and peeling paper on the walls of his room. As she had sat opposite him, he had found his eyes drawn to her full lips every time she had sipped her coffee. The scent of her perfume, mixed in with the sweet spices and vanilla of the desserts she handled all day, still filled his head. When he had stood up to leave, he’d noticed a section of her silky black hair had slipped from its fastening. He wanted to push it back over her ear, pull out the fastening and run his hands through the rest, but he knew he would have been lost then. When he held her hand, he had felt alive, more so than he had in a long time. He had been very close to kissing her tonight, and while he was confident she was willing, he didn’t want Mato to be just a tumble. There had been a promiscuity about Wynonna that salved his conscience a little, but Mato was different. She deserved better than a quick roll in the hay.

* 

The next evening, Mato’s heart fluttered every time someone walked through the door. Joel was in and noticed her unusual behaviour.

‘Are you ok, Mato? You’re acting weird.’

Andreas piped up that she was in love.

‘That’ll do it,’ laughed Joel.

The evening drew on, and her counter regulars teased her, threatening to stay until closing so they could get a look at the guy. She took the teasing in good nature, but as every minute went by, she became more and more convinced he wasn’t going to show.

Just after 11 PM, Andreas said he was going to head off. Mato looked around at the empty diner, and figured there was no point staying open. The temperature was bitter, and the TV had said there would be a snow storm overnight. The diner was closed tomorrow, as it was every Sunday, which was probably a good thing. No one would be venturing out if the snow was bad.

She shouted goodnight to Andreas, and went to the bank of switches and started switching the lights off one by one. When she got to the switch for the lights farthest from the door, the ones above the booth where Doc usually sat, she hesitated a second. She sighed in disappointment. _I guess this problem resolved itself after all_ , she thought.

A tap on the door startled her. Through the glass, there was just enough light to make out Doc’s face. He tipped his hat when he saw her, and her face broke into a huge grin.

She opened the door. ‘I had just about given up on you,’ she admonished him gently. ‘I mean… I had hoped to see you again. There was, of course, no obligation.’

‘My sincere apologies. I hope you don’t find me too presumptuous, arriving at such a late hour. If you would rather I return another day…’

‘No, come in!’ she exclaimed, and grabbed his shoulder and ushered him in out of the cold night.

He stood in front of her, looking a little nervous.

‘You look very nice today,’ she complimented him, genuine delight in her voice. The long grey coat had been replaced with a black one, and this time his shirt had a collar. He wore a black waistcoat and tie, and the jeans had been swapped for black pants. His hair was brushed, and slicked with a side parting. ‘… not that you don’t look nice normally. I mean…’ she laughed at her own awkwardness.

Doc laughed too. ‘You’re very gracious. And you look a delight in pink… as always,’ He clutched his hat to his chest, and seemed to be waiting for something.

‘Please, go take a seat,’ and she indicated to the corner booth, the only one still lit. She didn’t bother putting the rest of the lights back on, enjoying the cosier ambiance. ‘I am afraid the coffee pot is off now, but I have beer if you don’t mind that?’

‘That would be most agreeable,’ he said with a little bow of his head.

When she returned from the kitchen, he was sat down. The diner suddenly felt too empty and quiet, so she flicked the jukebox back on, but turned the volume down. He stood as she sat down, and she handed him his beverage. Once they were both settled, Mato raised her bottle to his, and he saluted her back. She took a long draught of her beer, not knowing what to say now that he was here.

‘I have been meaning to ask,’ Doc said, breaking the silence. ‘When I came in the other day, you were talking about Archimedes. Are you a scholar of mathematics?’

‘Ha! No. Mathematics are not really my strong suit,’ she replied. ‘But I do enjoy history. I enjoy learning in general, but love ancient history particularly. Archimedes is a kind of hero of mine though. A true polymath. I am in awe of inventors, and scientists, and engineers; people like Einstein, Alexander Graham Bell, Isambard Kingdom Brunell, and the like.’

‘I too enjoy scholarly pursuits,’ he added, his eyes sparkling with enthusiasm. ‘I enjoy nothing more than a discussion with an intellectual equal. Sadly, in my day, I was often called on for my other abilities, rather than my scholarly interests.’ He shrugged and drank his beer.

‘Your day’? You make it sound like it was a hundred years ago,’ she laughed.

‘It feels like longer,’ he answered with some sass.

‘So what did people call on you for then? Your dentistry?’

He nodded thoughtfully. ‘Sometimes. In the early days at least. Later, I made a living as a card player, but it was for my… abilities to resolve an issue with force, shall we say, that seemed most in demand.’

Mato was a little mystified with his answer.

‘I am an excellent shot,’ he added, sensing her confusion. ‘There. I’ve said it.’

‘How modest of you,’ she teased.

‘Believe me, Mato, with a hand gun, knife, or rifle, my accuracy is deadly,’ he said with a no-nonsense tone in his voice.

‘OK,’ she nodded, throwing up her hands in acceptance. ‘I don’t have much skill when it comes to firearms I confess, but I too can claim to have deadly accuracy… but with a bow.’

‘A bow,’ he nodded appreciatively. ‘An excellent weapon. Your people have always been very skilled in that particular discipline.’

Mato put down her beer slowly, and gave Doc a dark look. ‘My people?’

Doc audibly gulped. ‘Please Mato, my apologies. I meant no offense. I have the utmost respect for your culture and traditions. I have known and befriended many Indians in my time.

‘Indians!’ she spat out. ‘Look, Doc, this old-timey act of yours will only cut you so much slack.’

Doc was immediately out of his seat and knelt on one knee next to her seat. She was angry with him, but didn’t put up a fight when he grabbed her hand.

‘My dearest Mato. I appear to have caused offence where none was meant. I am beyond remorseful. Tell me what I can do to atone for this grievance I have caused?’

There he was again, with those flowery manners that she was beginning to find irresistible. She looked in his eyes and there was genuine contrition there. Her outrage was impotent against those eyes. ‘You can start by referring to my people as Native Americans. Some don’t mind the term Indian, but I find it pejorative.’

‘You have my word,’ he said solemnly.

She swatted at his shoulder playfully with her free hand. ‘Now get up, you damn fool.’

He looked relieved to be forgiven, and manoeuvred himself back into his seat, but he didn’t let go of her hand.

Just then, a song came on the jukebox, one of Mato’s favourites.

‘I love this song,’ she told him starting to sway in her seat as the opening notes drifted out of the speakers.

‘I’m afraid I am not familiar with it,’ he answered, a pained expression on his face.

‘It’s a song called Bad Company. It could be your song,’ she teased him as the lyrics started. She sang along, softly under her breath. When it got to half way through the first verse, she sang louder, particularly the line “I was born… six gun in my hand”.

Doc laughed.

‘Definitely your song,’ she confirmed with a grin.

Doc looked sceptical. ‘This isn’t exactly what I would call music.’

‘You don’t like rock music?’ she teased.

He placed his free hand over his heart. ‘I am just a humble country boy from Georgia.’

Mato slid off her seat and went over to the jukebox. She cast a playful glance his way as she punched in some numbers. ‘I think this might be more your speed then.’


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Mato and Doc cannot fight their attraction to each other any longer

Once again, when the song started playing, Mato started swaying. She sang along, looking at Doc who found he couldn’t have looked away even if he wanted to.

‘Billy Ray was a preacher’s son, and when his daddy would visit he’d come along’

Doc smiled at her, his attention rapt. The song was again unfamiliar to him, but the singer had a pleasant voice, as did Mato.

‘When they gathered around and started talkin', that's when Billy would take me walkin', but through the back yard we'd go walkin', then he'd look into my eyes, Lord knows, to my surprise.’

His eyes travelled up and down her curves as she swayed against the machine. He licked his lips when she stepped towards him. He slid to the edge of the seat so that she was stood mere inches away from him. His eyes level with her bosom, he forced himself to look up to her eyes.

‘The only one who could ever reach me, was the son of a preacher man, the only boy who could ever teach me, was the son of a preacher man, yes he was, he was, ooh, yes he was’

As the second verse started, she pulled him out of his seat, and placed his hands around her waist.

‘Bein' good isn't always easy, no matter how hard I try,’ she sang.

Doc’s hands slid further around her waist pulling her close to him.

‘When he started sweet-talkin' to me, he'd come'n tell me "Everything is all right", He'd kiss and tell me "Everything is all right"’

Doc couldn’t take it anymore. Her perfume was intoxicating. Her sweet hot breath was on his lips as she sang. When she uttered the word ‘kiss’, her eyes moved from his eyes to his lips. His will crumbled.

His grip tightened then, crushing her to him. Her arms slid around his shoulders and he pressed his lips against her. The two of them froze, savouring the taste of each other. He felt her press her body closer to him, as her sweet lips started to move against his. His hand slid down to her rump, and he squeezed the plump globes, pressing her against his crotch. He could feel himself starting to harden, more aroused that he had been in a sometime.

Doc felt her tongue sneak into his mouth, and he sucked on the delicate morsel, causing an appreciative moan from his paramour, and a new flush of blood to his groin.

* 

Mato was feeling giddy, she was so turned on. He tasted like beer, and a hint of tobacco. She broke the kiss, and leaned her head back to look at him. He was smiling, and his eyes twinkled. There was a hunger there too, and she knew that she had to get them out of there or he would be taking her over one of the tables.

‘Would you do me a favour, Doc?’

‘I would be honoured, my lady. Just name it.’

‘Would you walk me home?’

‘It would be my pleasure,’ he answered. She saw his eyes flick over her shoulder towards the carpark. ‘I would be happy to give you a ride if you prefer?’

‘I was kinda hoping you would say that,’ she gasped, and pulled his face towards her for another kiss. ‘I live upstairs,’ she whispered into his mouth.

She saw a moments confusion flash across his face as he tried to figure out why she would want a ride if she lived upstairs. When his face cracked into a smile, and an eyebrow raised, and she knew he had gotten the message.

‘Well, lead the way, my lady,’ he bowed.

Keeping a tight hold of one of her hands, he grabbed his hat with the other. She led him behind the counter and through into the kitchen. They passed a door into a pantry, and then took the next door up a narrow stair well.

At the top was a small landing, and a door which she unlocked with one of the keys hanging from her belt. Once into her apartment, she shut the door behind them, took his hat off him and placed it on a side table. She kissed him fervently, while carefully walking backwards towards her bedroom.

Once in her room, she pushed her shoes off her feet and reached behind her to pull the zipper of her uniform.

‘Allow me,’ Doc offered. He stepped behind her, and he pulled the zipper down, allowing the uniform to drop and pool around her feet. She felt him kiss the crook of her neck as his hands slid over her belly and up over her bra-covered breasts.

She turned towards him and started to unfasten his belt, and jeans. As she did this, he swiftly removed his waistcoat and shirt. They took a moment to look at each other in their underwear. Mato grinned at him, and he responded in kind. He stepped towards her, but she ducked out of his reach and threw herself back onto the bed and flicked on a small lamp.

She saw Doc hesitate for a second, but when she held out her arms he wasted no more time joining her. His lips devoured hers once again, his stubble grazing her chin, while his hands explored her flat tummy and breasts. He pulled away and pushed the bra straps off her shoulders, following them with a trail of small kisses. To help him out, Mato reached behind herself and unfastened the hooks.   
  
Doc was grateful that she had unfasted her own underwear. Women’s underwear had always been somewhat mystifying to him, but he had to admit its appearance had greatly improved since his time. It was all so small and delicate looking now. He had little experience with the fastenings, and feared his huge hands would have destroyed the fragile garments in his haste to remove them. He pulled the brassiere off her arms, then flashed an appreciative smile at her after admiring her bosom.

‘Beautiful,’ he uttered as he appreciated his prize. His skin was pale from spending over a century down a well, and his hands were a stark contrast against her bronzed golden tones. Her breasts were tipped with dark nipples and areola. He leaned down to take one in his mouth, and rolled his tongue gently around it.

Mato moaned and writhed beneath him, and pressed a hand against his head, grabbing his hair and pressing him to her breast. He moved to the other peak, and repeated his administrations, enjoying the grateful noises his lover made. He moved further down her torso to lay a trail of kisses towards her belly button. Before he could move any lower, Mato sat up and pushed against his shoulders, guiding him onto his back. She straddled his hips, and pulled the fastener from her hair. Her face was now framed by a mass of chaotic black hair that came to her shoulders. She looked wild, feral almost, a savage goddess, and the most beautiful thing he had ever seen.

He knew she had a trim figure under her uniform, but now it was revealed in all its glory to him, he could see she was surprisingly toned. Defined muscles rippled under her shoulders and arms, and her thighs were firm and powerful.

She leaned forward and mimicked his earlier manoeuvres on his nipples. She looked up through the strands of her hair as she slowly and deliberately painted a line down over his ribs and past his belly button with her tongue.

When her tongue reached the trail of dark hairs that led into his shorts, he reached for her shoulders to pull her back up. She swatted away his hands and kept going. She reached the point where his manhood tented his shorts, and all he could do was lay back with a groan as she ran her tongue over the length.

He felt her hands reach into the waistband and looked up just in time to see her lift it up and over his erection. She knelt up as she pulled the shorts all the way off his legs and threw them onto the floor.

* 

Here was her prize. She looked down and leaned in to once again run her tongue along the length, this time, against the soft skin. It was like velvet over steel. When she reached the tip, she moved her lips to cover the head. His girth was substantial, so she had to open wide. She heard Doc groan and utter what she thought were expletives as she sucked gently. She ran her tongue around the sensitive rim, and smirked as he trembled beneath her.

She placed a hand around the wide base of his shaft and moved it firmly up and down, causing the foreskin to glide over the soft and moist glans in her mouth. It was a wonderful sensation. She couldn’t wait until this was happening inside her, but first, she needed to relieve the pressure. She kept up the firm strokes and sucking until she felt her lover start to shudder.

‘No, no!’ he uttered as he clawed futilely at her, but she was not to be stopped now. The pace of her strokes increased, and she increased the suction on the tip. Within moments, she could feel the shaft stiffen and thicken. Doc groaned his release loudly, and shuddered beneath her. Mato slowed her pace, and swirled his emissions around her mouth before swallowing. She continued to gently lick his fleeting erection until Doc was able to move again.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc spends the night with Mato

Doc opened his eyes once the fireworks had stopped going off around his body. He sat up, and grabbed the top of Mato’s arms firmly. He could see her flesh whiten under his fingertips, and realised it might be sore, but he didn’t care right now. He practically threw her to the top of the bed, before straddling her hips, then pinned her wrists to the bed with his hands.

‘That was mean,’ he growled, with a predatory smile.

‘Why was that mean? I could swear you enjoyed it,’ she replied innocently.

‘I was powerless, and you played me like a fiddle. Are you a succubus come to drain me dry?’

‘No, I just wanted to make sure that when we got to the final act, you didn’t drop the curtains before I got off the stage.’

Doc’s mouth dropped open, then he guffawed loudly. While he felt he should be offended at her assumption he was lacking in staying power, he was highly amused at her eloquent use of a theatrical analogy.

‘It would appear there won’t be a final act, since the lead performer is now resting,’ he chuckled, deciding to stick to her theme.

He felt Mato wriggle her hips beneath him. ‘I am sure you can keep the audience amused, and maybe he will rise for an encore.’

Doc took the hint, and after a deep kiss, he moved over her mound and peeled down the scant underwear. He pushed her thighs apart, and looked at the jewel before him. He marvelled at the intricate folds and crevices, and the secrets they held. He brushed the inside of her thigh with his lips, knowing that his moustache would tickle the sensitive skin. He felt her legs quiver in his hands. He ran the tip of his tongue around the perimeter of her eager clit and was rewarded by a breathy moan and shudder from his partner. He wanted to deliver sweet torture, like she had done to him. He flicked at the nub, then drew it into his mouth and sucked gently.

Mato cried out, entreating deities she didn’t believe in. Her breath was coming out in quick pants. He continue to relish in his task, enjoying the sight, sounds and taste, to the point where he hadn’t noticed how close she was to climax.

She stiffened beneath him and whimpered. A flush of nectar coated his mouth, and he knew it was time to bring this show to a close.

As her body relaxed, he determined not to let up the pace. He had brought her to peak once, he would do it again. His manhood reinvigorated, he moved himself up and over her body. He slid into her with no resistance, and both of them groaned their pleasure. He pressed his lips against hers. Kissing and breathing heavily into each other’s mouth, he slowly withdrew before plunging once again. Mato’s legs lifted and wrapped around the back of his thighs, encouraging him to a faster pace.

His hips were driving in to her, grinding against her clit on every down stroke. She clawed at his back as she tried to pull him further into her. Each motion adding more pleasure to the pleasure that existed before it. He watched her eyes flutter open, and he wanted to drown in the dark pools that lay within.

The feeling of her inner core wrapped around his cock was indescribable. He could feel the tension building where their bodies joined, and the heat and delicious friction was bringing him speeding towards a climax. He increased his speed, angling his body to give the most impact against her sensitive clit. Her moans were getting louder, higher pitched, and more desperate.

With a cry, he felt her internal muscles grasp him like a vice. His own climax exploded, and he shuddered above her, quenching the fire within. It felt like sunlight poured through his veins and he fell into the abyss of their shared ecstasy. He buried his head into the crook of her neck, and groaned his own release. Like a bubble bursting, the tension flowed out of her body, and he felt her relax beneath him.

He lifted his head to look her in the eyes. He could feel her heart beating hard, as was his own. He brushed her lips with his as they both gasped for air.

He was suddenly exhausted. He was also conscious he may be crushing her, and so using the last of his energy, he lifted himself off her, rolling onto his side next to her.

* 

Mato brushed hair out of her eyes, and languidly traced her fingertips down the side of Doc’s face as it lay next to her on the pillow.

‘Would you like to shower? You can go first if you like?’ she asked.

He shook his head almost imperceptibly yet didn’t take his eyes off her.

‘We could shower together,’ she grinned with a suggestive wriggle of her brows.

‘I will bathe tomorrow, woman. I’m too tired now,’ he grumbled.

‘OK, then I’m going.’ She turned to climb out of the bed, but Doc’s arm shot around her waist and with surprising strength he pulled her back towards him. He spooned around her, nestling his head into the crook of her neck.

 _I guess I’m not showering right now, then_ she thought to herself. She resigned herself to sleeping with her lover clinging onto her tightly. Mato scowled. She liked to spread out when she slept, and was convinced she wouldn’t be able to sleep in this position. She was so tired though, she started to feel herself drift off soon after. _I hope he doesn’t snore,_ she thought just before sleep claimed her.

* 

She woke with a start, and for a second was confused why there was someone in the bed with her. The room was still dark, the sun just beginning to rise. She could just make out Doc’s features. He was laid with his head propped up on his arm, his other arm draped over her.

‘You snore,’ she said matter of factly.

‘And you have nightmares,’ he countered.

Mato rubbed at her face, trying to wake herself up more, and turned towards him. ‘Nightmares?’

‘Yes, a few moments ago. You were tossing and turning, and cried out. I wasn’t sure if I should wake you or not.’

‘Oh… I’m sorry if I woke you.’

‘You didn’t,’ he said, before leaning down and gently kissing her. ‘I don’t need a whole lot of sleep. I was laid here watching you.’

Mato raised her brows. ‘That’s not creepy at all,’ she laughed.

He laughed softly. ‘It wasn’t meant to be creepy. You looked so peaceful. Well, right up to the moment you were having the nightmare. It was enchanting.’

Mato sat up. She was concerned. She didn’t remember the nightmare, possibly because she woke before it was over. Nightmares were usually a sign of bad things to come. She smiled at Doc, pretending to be unconcerned. She didn’t want him to pick up on her apprehension.

‘How about that shower now?’ she asked.

‘That is an excellent idea,’ he answered enthusiastically, threw back the covers and almost leapt out of bed. ‘Come, I will scrub your back for you.’

Mato flopped back onto the bed. ‘Oh God! You’re a morning person, aren’t you?’

* 

After their shower, Doc barely dried himself, before throwing on his pants and shirt. ‘I’ll make us some coffee,’ he suggested, leaving Mato to dress in privacy.

He wandered into her apartment towards a small kitchen area. There was a coffee machine which fortunately was similar to the one Waverley showed him how to use. As the drink brewed, he wandered around the flat.

As to be expected, there were throws, rugs and cushions dotted around the apartment with Native American themed patterns. There was plenty of Native themed art too, but it was a series of framed pictures that seemed baffling to him.

Mato walked out of her room, and Doc’s frown softened into a smile immediately. It was the first time he had seen her in clothes other than her waitress uniform. She had on soft blue jeans that made her legs look long and shapely, with dark brown boots. She paired these with a beige plaid shirt under a thick white knitted cardigan. Her hair was still wet and hung in soft black tendrils to her shoulders.

He offered her a mug of coffee which she accepted graciously.

‘Did you want some breakfast?’ she offered.

He shook his head. ‘I’m fine, but please go ahead and eat if you want to.’

‘Nah, it’s too early for me to eat just yet,’ she answered while pulling a sick face that made him chuckle. ‘Coffee will be just fine.’ She moved towards the couch, and so he picked up his mug and joined her.

‘So…,’ he said, turning towards her, a mischievous smile on his face. ‘Am I a frog, or a prince?’

Mato laughed a little. She had a beautiful smile he noted. ‘I dunno… the jury’s still out on this one.’

Doc faked being shot. ‘You wound me,’ he exclaimed with playful drama.

Mato laughed again. ‘Honestly? You want to know?’

‘Of course!’ he said, feeling suddenly like he was facing a jury’s verdict. ‘My pride is at stake here.’

Mato sighed. ‘I can’t decide. Definitely more prince than frog, but… I sense you are hiding something. Something big. I’m not saying you have to tell me—I have a few secrets of my own. But, while these secrets exist between us, you cannot be a prince.’

Doc swallowed his mouthful of coffee. He hadn’t expected the conversation to take this direction. She stared at him, her dark eyes serious. He felt that she wanted him to open up, to share his secrets. He decided he would just be honest with her, and let the cards fall where they may.

‘You are very astute. I do carry with me a great secret, that I fear should I tell you, you will not believe me and it will be the end of our tryst.’

‘Ha! One of those kind of secrets, huh? Yeah, I know those kind. I have one or two myself. The last time I tried sharing it with a guy, he didn’t believe me, and couldn’t get away from me quick enough,’ confessed Mato with a shrug. ‘How about you tell me yours, and I will tell you mine. Deal?’


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc and Mato discover secrets about each other

Mato studied Doc as he studied her in return. ‘Very well,’ he answered eventually. ‘We have a deal,’ he said then spat into his hand and offered it to her to shake on. Mato stared at his hand, and grimaced. _It’s a bit late to get squeamish over swapping body fluids,_ she thought, and so shook his hand.

She watched as he sat up straight and pulled his shirt smooth, before taking a deep breath.

‘My name is John Henry Holliday. My friends call me Doc. Doc Holliday. I was born August 14th, in the year 1851. I had suffered from the consumption for many years. When I was 36, my health was suffering greatly and the end was nigh, so I approached a healer of sorts, who said she could cure me. It transpires that she was a witch and she didn’t just cure me but she cursed me with eternal longevity, then threw me down a well where I was trapped, alone, for 130 years until Wynonna unwittingly aided my escape.’

He looked nervous as he waited for her response. Mato couldn’t blame him. That was quite a tale. She wasn’t sure what to say.

‘What do you mean by “eternal longevity”?’ she asked eventually.

He shrugged. ‘I don’t need to eat or drink. I rarely sleep. I _have_ aged in that time, but incredibly slowly.’

‘Are… are you immortal?’ she asked quietly.

Doc shook his head. ‘I don’t think so. If I get shot or stabbed, I bleed just like you would. I presume that should my head be removed from my neck I would die.’

‘And a witch did this, you say?’

He just nodded.

‘Well, that explains a _whole_ lot,’ she finally gushed out. It all finally made sense to her. His manners, his sense of dress. That moustache.

Doc looked stunned. ‘You believe me?’

‘Of course! I have met several witches in my time, and every last one was unpleasant at best. The idea one would curse you isn’t too hard to imagine.’

‘You’ve met witches?’ he exclaimed.

Mato considered how to answer his question. ‘Yeah… and killed a few.’ When she saw his face show shock, she quickly followed with an explanation. ‘Remember I said I had a secret too? Well… that’s it. I… kill monsters.’

She watched as Doc got up and began to pace the room. ‘Let me get this straight,’ he said. ‘You kill monsters? You know that monsters exist, and you kill them?’

Now it was Mato’s turn to feel nervous. ‘Yes.’

He stood with his hands on his hips, head cocked. ‘But you work in a diner.’

Mato was sure this was just him stating an obvious fact, but it felt an awful lot like an insult. She stood up too. ‘What the _fuck_ has that got to do with anything?’ She growled at him. ‘If you must know… it’s my business. I don’t just work there, I _own_ the diner.’

She hurried to her bedroom. Doc must have thought she was running away from a fight, as she heard him hurry after her.

‘Mato! Mato! Please, talk to me. I want to understand what you’re telling me.’

In her room, she reached under the bed and pulled out something long and wrapped in a tan leather cloth. She placed it on the bed and pulled back the cloth.

‘I’m telling you this!’ and she pointed to the parcel.

*

Doc watched as she unwrapped the strange parcel. When she pulled back the cloth, it revealed a bow, an ancient and distinctly Native-style bow. With it in the parcel was a suede quiver, intricately decorated, full of arrows. The limbs of the bow were made of wood, but were bound together with sinew around a grip made of what looked like a horn. At the tips of the limbs, there was a face carved in an ancient style. The arrows looked almost as ancient as the bow, and they were tipped with lethally sharp flint.

‘What’s this?’

‘It’s my heritage. My Nakota ancestors were powerful shaman. For generations, we have hunted and killed witches, vampires, skin walkers and other dark things.’

She lifted the bow and offered it to him flat on her two hands. He glanced at her, seeking permission to touch it, and she nodded.

He reached for it, and lifted it reverentially. The wood was smooth, made so by the many hands that had held the weapon. He pulled against the bow string. It was tight. He actually struggled to pull it at all. She really was stronger than she looked. 

‘This weapon is special. It passes along, generation to generation. Only when fired by the heir can it do harm to the dark ones. Conventional weapons will not kill them.’

‘Did you say “the heir”?’

She nodded. ‘Yes, the heir becomes the Hunter when the previous Hunter passes, and they inherit _wowahwa phiyá_ , which roughly translated from my language to English is… Peacemaker.’

‘You have got to be kidding me,’ Doc gasped.

He placed the bow back onto the cloth, and Mato wrapped it up.

‘I think we have a lot more to talk about, you and I,’ Doc uttered as he stared at Mato.

*

‘So Wynonna has to kill all seventy seven to lift the curse?’ Mato asked.

‘Yes, otherwise they will regenerate, hell bent on destroying the Earp family.’

‘Wow,’ Mato muttered. ‘And I thought I had some heavy family responsibilities.’ Mato was having a hard time absorbing all he had told her about his time in Purgatory.

She glanced at him, and she could see a hint of a smile on his face. Even hidden behind that thick moustache, it stirred her.

‘What?’ She was starting to squirm under his stare.

‘It seems I have a type,’ he answered. He leaned over and kissed her softly. She leaned into the kiss, and Doc lay back into the couch. She followed, then laid her head on his chest. He moved his arm around her shoulders, and pulled her close. He kissed the top of her head, and she sighed blissfully.

 _I guess there are similarities between me and Wynonna_ , she pondered. The main difference was Wynonna had family to support her, and this Agent Dolls. Mato was on her own with this, but it was how it had always been with the Hunter.

‘My path through life is a lonely one. I don’t mean life in the diner,’ she explained. ‘That is just for an appearance of normality, though I do enjoy it. I mean my true vocation, my life as a Hunter. It isn’t something I’ve been able to share with anyone before, not outside the family anyway, and certainly not outside the tribe.’

He stroked her hair tenderly. ‘I am honoured you felt you could share this with me.’

She lifted her head to look at him. ‘I _thought_ I was lonely, until I met you that is. I can’t imagine what you went through. Several lifetimes alone. It’s incomprehensible to me. I think I can understand why you were attached to Wynonna. She lives in the edges of humanity which is where you exist. She lives in the world you were forced to inhabit. I can see how that would draw you together.’

He pushed some hair from her face and cupped her cheek. ‘I will always be lonely,’ he added.

‘You don’t have to be,’ she whispered.

‘Sweet Mato. I am 166 years old. A normal life is not on the cards for me. Even if I found a woman who understood the world I am from, an equal, someone I could walk through this world with…’ he paused, and she wondered if he meant her.  ‘I would lose them to the sands of time. I would have to stand by impotently as my loved ones aged and died.’ He stroked her face. ‘I am not sure I could live through that. Until I find a way to lift this curse, I am destined to live alone.’

Mato was heart-broken. She was drawn to this man, and she found it unbearable to see him in pain. She couldn’t imagine a future he wasn’t in. Ever since he walked through the doors of the diner, she had felt a pull towards him. It wasn’t just attraction. It was destiny.

‘Then we work together to lift your curse. When I set my mind to something, I do not sway from the course until I reach my objective. I don’t believe in the Christian God, but I do believe that the Universe has an order. You are my destiny. I know this to be true with all my heart. I swear to you, John Henry Holliday, on the blood of my ancestors, that I will not rest until you are free of your curse.’

*

Doc didn’t deserve this. He didn’t deserve this sweet girl pledging her future to him. He didn’t deserve her love, or anyone’s. As far as he was concerned, he had spent his whole life letting people down.

He still suffered guilt from letting Wyatt down, by seeking the aid of the witch. He knew how much it had disappointed his friend. Doc had lived this last 130 years convinced Wyatt hated him. When he discovered Wyatt had looked for him after his disappearance, that he had been heartbroken by Doc’s disappearance, it had made him feel all the more guilty.

He had to leave here, before he did any more damage. He looked into the eyes of the woman in his arms, and his resolve immediately crumbled.

He could tell himself that leaving would make things easier for her, like he did when he left Wynonna, but he knew that deep down the only person he would be making things easy for was himself. _It’s time to man up, John Henry._

‘You are a wonder, Mato,’ he said pulling her to him. ‘But you don’t want to hitch your wagon to me. I’m a drunk, and a gambler. I’m bad-tempered, cowardly, unreliable, and have no discernible means of income.

‘No, you haven’t been drunk for days so clearly you’re not a drunk. You joined a fight that wasn’t yours, so you’re brave. You are still standing, still functioning and still able to smile after spending 130 years in a well, so you’re strong. From what you have told me, you helped Wynonna and her sister, and felt some responsibility for them, so you’re also caring. As for income, the diner earns enough money to look after us both. You are bad-tempered though, that I agree with.’

 _There seems to be no discouraging this woman_ , he realised. ‘If there was a way to free me from this curse, then I would have found it.’

Mato sat up, a zeal in her eyes he hadn’t seen before. ‘I presume you have tried to kill the witch?’

‘Of course,’ he said sarcastically. ‘I shot her, and her wound appeared on me. I fear if I kill her, I would be killing myself too. My longevity is linked with hers somehow,’ he explained.

‘Do you know where she is?’

He laughed. ‘Oh yes. I know exactly where she is. She is buried to her neck in the salt flats of Utah.’

‘That’s genius,’ Mato laughed. It was a sound he would never tire of hearing.

‘OK, so we know where she is. Now, we just need to start talking to the right people. I think I know someone who might help,’ she smiled.

She looked like she was eager to hit the road immediately. ‘I can’t dissuade you, can I?’ he sighed.

‘Nope. I’m stubborn like that.’

Doc smiled, and pulled her to him. He pressed her head back to his chest, and kissed the crown of her head. He laid there, holding her close, never wanting to let go.

‘It’s getting chilly in here,’ he remarked.

‘It is snowing outside. I can turn the heating up.’ She stood up and he followed her to the kitchen where she fiddled with a dial.

‘Tell me, Mato. Why do you have pictures of men and women in brightly coloured undergarments and masks on your walls?’

Peals of laughter erupted from Mato. ‘That’s not underwear,’ she laughed. ‘They’re super heroes in costumes,’ she added, clutching her sides.

Doc was happy for his ignorance to have caused such mirth. He still thought the characters looked ridiculous, but he loved seeing her laugh. ‘You know,’ he said as he snaked an arm around her waist, and pulled her into an embrace. ‘I was much warmer in bed,’

‘Oh really?’ she laughed. ‘I suppose you want me to take you to bed and warm you up?’

‘What an excellent idea. I’ll take you,’ he said before bending at his waist. He threw her over his shoulder, causing her to squeal in surprise, and carried her to the bedroom.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc learns more about Mato's abilities. She also offers a possible solution to his witch problem.

Mato had worked up an appetite and was now quite hungry. She was reluctant to move though, as she was cosy under the covers, her limbs entangled with Doc’s. Her tummy brought the matter to a head when it rumbled.

Doc laughed. ‘Maybe it’s time for some breakfast,’ he suggested.

‘I know,’ she agreed. ‘I’m going to dash downstairs and raid the fridge. Bonus of living above a diner,’ she said with a wink.

‘Maybe we could have some of that Archimedes Pie?’

‘Good idea. Pie for breakfast.’ She got out of bed, and quickly wrapped the cardigan around her that she had thrown on the floor earlier.

She dashed down the stairs, wincing audibly when her bare feet met the freezing cold tiled floor of the diner’s kitchen. She immediately regretted not spending a few extra seconds to put more clothes on. She grabbed a couple of plates, and loaded each with a generous slice of the pie. When she rushed back up the stairs and through the apartment door, the difference in temperature was noticeable. It was nice and warm in here now.

She saw Doc stood in the kitchen area, fixing them both some more coffee. She placed the pie on the low coffee table in front of the couch. She’d not grabbed any cutlery from downstairs, so moved behind the counter to get some forks. She stopped in her tracks, stifling a giggle when she was faced with the rear view of a naked Doc. It was a surprise, but she had to confess, he had a fine and shapely ass. Then she noticed the socks.

‘Are you laughing at me, woman?’ he accused her, not even turning around.

‘No,’ she lied, unconvincingly.

He turned around, and gave her a scowl. He reached over and grabbed his hat, placing it on his head. ‘Are you sure?’

Mato was laughing so hard now, she snorted.

‘Since you find my nakedness so amusing, I shall go and cover my modesty,’ he sniffed in mock disdain, before strutting towards the bedroom, in his socks and a hat.

Mato had recovered by the time he came back out in his pants and a tank top. She was struck mute by how handsome he was. There was something so incredibly masculine about him. As he came out of the room, the low winter sun shining through the window made him a silhouette. He could have appeared on a movie poster in some iconic western. She handed him a plate of pie and a fork, then watched in anticipation as he took his first bite.

The base was made of layers of buttery filo pastry, the filling was peach, fig and honey, with a thick whipped cream and greek yoghurt topping. It was a pie she had invented, and it had proven quite popular with her customers.

‘Mmmm,’ was all he could say. Mato had to assume that was a good thing. ‘Mmmm,’ he managed again. ‘I can say, without fear of contradiction, that this is the best pie I have had in years,’ he mumbled through a mouthful of crumbs.

*

It was fair to say Doc had hardly eaten a thing since the witch tossed him down the well. For the first few days, he had panicked, convinced he would starve or dehydrate. After a couple of weeks, he realised that this was not the case.

Since his escape, he had only eaten sparingly, more to make others comfortable than to satisfy a hunger. He had taken the offered pie as he didn’t want to offend Mato, but now it was in his mouth, his taste buds came alive. He had always had a bit of a sweet tooth, and this pie was probably the most delicious thing he could recall eating.

‘I think Archimedes would be honoured you named this pie after him.’

Mato blushed, the cheeks of her tan skin darkening prettily. ‘Thank you.’

Doc finished the rest of his pie in a two more bites, and washed it down with some coffee. Part of him wished it was bourbon, but he pushed that thought aside. Mato made him feel like he wanted to be a better man.

He watched her finish the rest of her pie at a much more genteel pace. When she had finished, he handed her her coffee.

‘Can I ask you a question, Mato?’

‘Shoot,’ she replied, sipping the dark beverage.

‘Have you ever killed a human?’

She shook her head.

‘I have, and I don’t recommend it. There’s a power in taking a life and there is no feeling that matches the intensity of that deed, but it takes a little of your soul and leaves something dark in its stead.’

‘Do you regret killing the people you did?’ she asked.

‘No, each one would have killed me given the opportunity. I regret the situation that forced me to be in that position.’

He sighed. He wondered if he could live his life again, would he do things differently.

‘These monsters you kill as a Hunter,’ he continued with his questions. ‘How do you find them?

Mato laughed, sheepishly. ‘This is gonna sound lame, but… I see them in my dreams. Or, nightmares to be exact.’

‘You mean… this morning when…’

‘Yeah,’ she shrugged. ‘Maybe. It could have just been a regular nightmare. I normally remember the ones that are sent.’

Doc looked confused. ‘Sent?’

Mato shrugged. ‘I don’t know for certain, but yeah, that’s what it feels like. I am what my people know as a dream walker. The heir, the Hunter, is always a dream walker.’

Doc was shaken a little. He had such strong feelings for this woman, yet there was still so much he didn’t know about her. He wanted to know everything. ‘What is a dream walker, exactly?’

‘Basically, I can control my dreams. The dreams that are sent, it’s like—I am observing my prey, the monster. I can control what I can see, I can get a look at the surroundings and learn what I am dealing with.’

Doc scratched at the stubble on his chin that was beginning to itch. ‘That is a great gift, but a huge responsibility,’ he said softly.

‘A blessing and a curse, right?’ she said, her voice tinged with sadness.

He remembered what she had said earlier about loneliness, about how she faced these dangers alone, unable to share the burden or even talk about it.

‘You don’t have to face this one alone, Mato. If you will have me, I would gladly offer my services to you.’

*

There was something appealing at the thought of them battling evil side by side, but Mato wasn’t sure if it was wise to drag Doc into tribe business.

‘I appreciate the offer, Doc, I do. But I can do this myself. It’s a heavy burden, yes, but it is also a privilege. One I was chosen for.’

‘My apologies,’ he said sincerely. ‘I hope you didn’t think that I was suggesting you can’t handle this alone.’

Mato knew that isn’t what he meant, but it was sweet that he apologised. She smiled at him, and took his hand. He grinned at her, his eyes sparkling. He pulled her towards him, and once in reach, he manoeuvred her onto his lap.

She was still only wearing her cardigan and panties. He slid his hands over her hips and under the knitted garment, then ran his hands up her back. She leaned forward, and he kissed her hungrily.

‘I’ve never kissed anyone famous before,’ she joked.

Doc wiggled his brows at her. ‘Darlin’, we’ve done more than kiss.’

‘True, true. And what fun it was,’ she giggled. ‘Seriously, though. There probably isn’t a man or woman alive that hasn’t heard of the infamous gambler and gun slinger, Doc Holliday.’

‘I’m not sure whether to be flattered or horrified at this level of notoriety.’

Mato stroked his hair back from his eyes. ‘To me, you’re just my Doc,’ she said softly. She kissed him deeply once more, and felt him move his hands under her clothes to her breasts. His large rough hands grazed over her nipples, and they sprang to attention before he leaned in to take one in his mouth.

Mato arched her back pressing her chest into him. She sighed with pleasure as his teeth grazed the eager peaks. She started to rock her hips over his crotch. She could feel his stiffness, and it felt delicious through her panties.

‘You know, I think I was right about you,’ Doc mumbled between kisses. ‘You _are_ a succubus trying to drain me dry.’

‘Would you like me to stop?’ she asked, still grinding in his lap.

‘No, ma’am.’

She knelt up and unfastened his fly. She slipped her hand inside and freed his cock. It felt hot and hard in her hand. She stroked it a few times, enjoying the way it made Doc’s eyelids flutter. There was a bead of moisture at the tip, which she smeared over his crown with her thumb, his groans of delight causing her own flood of moisture. She loved foreplay, but right now, she needed him inside her quickly. She pulled against one side of her panties with both hands, and with a warrior’s cry tore the thin lacy garment, then repeated it again with the other side.

She looked at Doc who was watching the proceedings his mouth open in shock. She pulled the ruined panties out of the way, then angled his tip towards her core. She sank down to the root, shuddering in pleasure. She sat still for a moment, enjoying the full feeling.

Placing her hands on Doc’s shoulders, she starting to raise herself up and down his shaft. Doc once again had his hands on her hips, pulling her down onto him. She smashed her bud against his pubic bone on every stroke and she knew it wouldn’t be long before she came.

Doc was starting to pant, his face set in a determined grimace as he raced towards his own climax.

When it hit, it hit her hard. She felt every nerve explode from her core out to her fingertips. She wrapped herself around Doc and clung to him as she shuddered through the tremors of her orgasm. She could feel Doc twitching, the final pulses of his climax coating her insides.

The two of them clung tightly to each other as their euphoria faded. As her heart and breathing steadied, she looked at Doc. His eyes were closed, but he had a smile on his face. She placed a gentle kiss on each eyelid.

‘I surrender, I am truly done for,’ he gasped. ‘The well is dry, so to speak.’

Mato slipped off his lap, and snuggled next to him. ‘You’re safe… for now.’

She rested her head against his shoulder. Doc stuffed himself back into his pants, and fastened his fly before placing an arm around her and pulling her close.

Mato was happier than she had been in years. The snow outside had hit pause on the world, given her and Doc a chance to get to know each other without intrusion. It hadn’t let up for hours, and she knew that the roads would be treacherous. It was unlikely the diner would do much, if any business for the next few days.

She usually enjoyed her job, as it was so far removed from her Hunter duties, but she was resentful that it would take her away from Doc. She decided to close the diner for a few days, possibly even the entire week. She needed time to deal with the creature haunting her dreams, plus she wanted to take Doc to her tribe’s Shaman. He was ancient, with years of experience dealing with the supernatural world. If anyone knew how to separate Doc from his connection with the witch, it would be him.


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Plans are made to fulfil Mato's duties as the Hunter, and then seek advice from her grandfather

Mato got up and went to her bedroom to get her phone. When she came out of her rooma few minutes later, she was dressed in sleepwear and slippers.

‘There is a fair haired man with a huge hammer on your footwear.’ Doc announced when he saw Mato come out of her room. She was also wearing red and blue sleepwear that was had the image of a spider on the front. It was altogether, a strange outfit.

‘Look, it’s not safe for you to attempt to drive back to the motel, so I was thinking you should just stay here tonight.’

He smiled. ‘Is the weather the only reason I should stay?’

She rolled her eyes. ‘Well, no. Obviously.’

‘Then I would be delighted to remain your guest,’ he smiled. ‘Just for tonight?’

Mato fiddled with the edge of her sleeve nervously. ‘No. Stay as long as you like. Stay forever.’

‘I will need to get my things from the motel. I have meagre possessions, just some clothes and such.’

Mato started punching a number into her phone, then pointed at her feet. ‘And that’s Thor, by the way. He’s cute.’

Doc was unsure why her feet were adorned with a god of the Norsemen, but he questioned it no further.

‘Hey Josie, it’s Mato from the diner…. Hi, yeah, how are you doing?’ she smiled at Doc while she listed to the other person talk. ‘OK, well you make sure and keep warm. Listen, could you do me a favour? I have a friend who was staying at the motel, but since the weather’s so bad he’s just going to stay here. Can you close his account?’

There was another pause. ‘Yeah,’ she laughed and blushed, turning her back to Doc and walking closer to the window. ‘That’s the guy.’ She listened again. ‘Joel said what? Oh, he did, did he? Well, tell your brother if I catch him gossiping about me again, I’ll spit in his coffee,’ she said and winked at Doc.

‘Ha ha ha, thanks, Josie. Oh, one more thing. My friend has a bag of clothes in the room. Could you grab that and stick it in the office? I’ll pick it up in a few days.’

Doc stood and moved behind her. He wrapped his arms around her waist and could just about here the other woman on the phone. _These portable phones were a miracle_ , he thought.

‘Thanks, Josie.’ Mato hung up, then turned her head to look at him.

‘Now I best phone the staff and let them know they have the week off.’

‘OK, I’ll leave you to it.’ He kissed the nape of her neck. Her skin was soft and warm, and smelled amazing. He wanted to bury his face into her hair and breathe her in. She always smelled so good.

He found himself craving a drink. He would have loved to get his hands on a bottle of whisky right now, so went to make a coffee instead.

By the time Mato had finished her calls, the coffee was brewing.

‘Right, that’s the staff all been given the week off. That frees us up to deal with our business,’ she said as she placed her phone on the coffee table.

‘How are we going to get anywhere in this white out?’ Doc asked. From her apartment window, he could only just make out his car as a white lump in the carpark.

‘According to the weather app on my phone, the snow will stop this afternoon. I am fairly confident the snow-plows will be out on the major roads tomorrow, so by Tuesday we should be fine to go out in my SUV.’

‘SUV,’ Doc pondered out loud. ‘Remind me again what that is?’

‘Sports utility vehicle. It’s a Dodge Journey, which is big and grunty. Perfect for the severe winters we get here.’

Doc nodded. Something akin to the enormous vehicle Dolls drove, he suspected.

‘Plus,’ she added. ‘There is plenty of room to carry the kind of equipment I need on my pursuits.’

Doc brought the coffee over to the couch, and Mato joined him. ‘So what are we going to do until then?’

Mato picked up a black device. ‘Now, we’re going to watch a movie. It’s time we worked on your pop culture education.’

While in Purgatory, Doc had never really understood why people seemed to spend hours staring at a box of moving pictures. He much preferred a book.

‘What movie are we going to watch?’

‘Tombstone,’ she said with a strange grin on her face.

‘There’s a name that sounds familiar.’

* 

Mato had watched the movie several times before, and enjoyed it, but it was a completely different experience to watch it with someone who was one of the subjects. Several times she had to bite back a laugh as Doc hollered at all the inaccuracies. In between the outbursts, she could tell he was fascinated.

‘I’m your Huckleberry? I never said any such thing!’ he exclaimed.

When the movie was over, she turned to him. ‘So, what did you think?’

‘It was largely fabricated poppycock, and they underplayed my roll. The actor that portrayed me was handsome enough, but my moustache is better.’ As if to emphasise his comments, he stroked the edges of his facial hair.

Mato giggled. She got the impression that, despite his blustering to the contrary, he was quite flattered that he was the subject of a movie.

‘Well, you might not need to eat, but I do, so I’m going to go get some food from downstairs, then there are other movies I think you should watch. Do you want me to fetch you something?’

Doc shook his head. ‘I thank you but I will decline.’

Mato shrugged and headed out the door. As she was half way down the stairs, she heard Doc call her name.

‘If there is any of the pie left, I would like to sample another piece.’

Mato laughed to herself. She grabbed some meatloaf, some bread and the rest of the pie before scurrying back upstairs. It wasn’t exactly gourmet dining, but it would satisfy her hunger. For food, anyway.

* 

Doc lay in Mato’s bed on his back, staring in the dim light of the moon, at the ceiling as he contemplated his lot. A few days ago, he would have welcomed death, his far reaching future seemed so bleak. Then a beautiful stranger opened her heart and her home to him. Despite his best efforts to change her mind, Mato had categorically told him that it was fated. Did he believe in fate? He wasn’t sure.

Mato was lying next to him, her back towards him. She was fast asleep, her breathing deep and slow. He felt her twitch, and turned to face her. A quiet frightened moan escaped her lips. Doc’s heart started to beat faster at the sound, and Mato’s breathing increased too. _Is she having another nightmare?_ Her twitching and moaning increased, then she suddenly sat bolt upright.

Doc sat up immediately. ‘Mato?’ She didn’t respond to her name. He reached to the side of the bed and fumbled around until he found the switch to her lamp. When the light hit Mato’s face, what he saw shocked him to the core.

Her eyes were wide open, but completely white, the iris rolled back. She was stiff and still, her sightless eyes staring blankly ahead. He tried to rouse her, shook her shoulders, but still no response. Doc was panicking now. She needed help and he didn’t know how to provide it. Never had he felt more impotent.

 The fugue state lasted another few minutes, then Doc noticed her muscles relaxed. Her eyes became normal and she looked around is if confused.

‘Wha… what… what’s happening?’

‘Shhh,’ Doc uttered, clasping her to him tightly. ‘Everything is ok,’ he murmured repeatedly, not sure if he was trying to console her or himself.

He laid her down, and pulled the cover up around her. He reached over and clicked off the lamp, then snaked an arm under her head. He wrapped it around her shoulders, pulling her to him. She laid quietly on his chest and eventually he heard her breathing return to its normal sleep pattern. He had no idea what he had just witnessed, but he assumed it had something to do with her being a dream walker and her role as the Hunter.

Doc watched over her, through what felt like days, but it was mere hours. A little more light had streamed into the room from the rising sun when Mato stirred. She seemed surprised to find herself lying on his chest. She lifted her head and looked at him.

‘I think I drooled on you,’ she apologised.

Doc was so relieved she seemed ok, he almost wept. He stroked the hair out of her sleepy eyes ‘You have nothing to be sorry for.’

She laid back on his chest, and hugged him tightly.

‘Did I… did I wake during the night? I have vague memory of the light being on.’

Doc wasn’t sure how to broach the subject. ‘I think you had a nightmare.’

She lifted her head quickly and looked at him. Her eyes looked away for a second, as if she was recalling something. ‘I did. I was sent a message. I saw something, a creature. It stalked someone through the snow. I saw it. It had two faces, and horns. And there were sharp spikes protruding from the elbows. It seemed… hungry.’ She looked at him. ‘I saw a few landmarks near its nest, its lair. I need to go and see if I can pinpoint it. I think it’s nearby.’

Mato climbed out of bed without any further discussion, and made her way to the living area. Doc followed her and watched as she got out a laptop, then spread a few books on the table. She started flicking through them as if he wasn’t there. He finally understood what she meant when she said she was single-minded.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc and Mato prepare for the trip, and Mato learns a little more about Doc's life before he was cursed

Later that morning, Mato realised she had been ignoring Doc, so absorbed she was in her research. She had scoured websites on the area, and was confident she knew the locale of the Two-Face. It was about a four hour drive away.

She found Doc sprawled on her bed, listening to her iPod. His fingers were woven together on his chest, his ankles crossed. His eyes were closed, but he wasn’t asleep as she could see an index finger tapping along with the music.

He had obviously rummaged through her clothes, as he was wearing a clean white vest out of her dresser. It looked a little tight on him, but it accentuated his slender but toned physique. She crept up on him, leant over him and placed a soft kiss on his lips.

He flinched briefly, as she caught him by surprise. He returned the kiss, and when she pulled back and sat next to him on the bed, he was smiling at her.

‘I thought I would take the opportunity to familiarise myself with modern music,’ he shouted. Mato laughed and pulled the earphones out of his ears.

‘And what are your conclusions?’

‘If the categories you have songs labelled as are an indicator, I don’t care too much for the loud angry music like punk and metal you have on here, but I enjoyed the blues and country songs. I particularly enjoyed the gentlemen named Seasick Steve,’ he said his eyes bright and excited.

Mato just laughed. ‘So you don’t like the loud angry stuff then? I guess we can’t agree on everything,’ she added with a wink.

‘How did you fare with your research?’ he asked.

Mato’s face went serious. ‘I’m fairly confident that I know where the creature is. I estimate it is about a four hour drive south west of here. The roads are still probably too treacherous, but I am confident we should be able to head there tomorrow though.’

Doc’s eyes widened for a second. ‘We?’

Mato smiled a little. She took his hand. ‘I apologise for refusing your previous offer of assistance, but if it still stands, I’d like to take you up on it. I don’t know why I said no before. I think that being the Hunter is such an integral part of me, I didn’t want to share it with anyone, but I want you to share my life. All of it. And that means you being part of the hunting too.’

Doc stroked her hair, then her cheek. ‘I would be honoured to accompany you.’

‘Then I will get things prepared. After we have dealt with the creature, we need to head to Montana.’

‘Where to?’ Doc asked.

‘To visit my grandfather.’

*

The next morning, Doc followed Mato down the stairs from the apartment. She led him through the kitchen, where there was a back door. He fidgeted and adjusted the thin black scarf she had insisted he wear, despite his protestations that he would be warm enough in his coat and hat. He had spent a 130 winters at the bottom of a well, and suffered no lasting effect from the cold, but he acquiesced as he could see it made her feel better. She was wearing black jeans, a white padded jacket, gloves, and scarf. There was also a knitted hat poking out of one of the coat’s pockets.

She carried her bow and quiver along with her keys, and Doc carried a small backpack with some drinks, snacks and a change of clothes inside.

When they stepped outside, the sun was bright, and glinted off the crystalline snow. She rolled himself a cigarette while she locked the door they had just excited, and unlocked the door to a garage he hadn’t even been aware was there.

Plumes of perfumed smoke billowed from Doc as he enjoyed his first cigarette in days. He enjoyed smoking, but had felt it impolite to smoke in Mato’s home as she did not smoke herself.

When she lifted the garage door, it revealed a large olive green vehicle that could have easily seated seven or eight people. He wasn’t sure how someone as slight as Mato could handle such a vehicle, but he knew she was much stronger than she looked.

 ‘Let me just reverse out,’ she shouted as she loped around the side of the car. Doc stood out of the way, and continued to smoke his cigarette. Once the vehicle was outside, Mato climbed out and walked back in to the garage. She opened a locked storage chest at the back of the garage, and took out a large bag. She was putting things in and curiosity got the better of Doc so he went to take a closer look.

In it, she had placed some rope, what looked like traps, and some binoculars. There was all sorts of equipment in there. Lastly, she grabbed a large knife, approximately 12”, in a sheath. Hunter Mato was scary Doc decided. It turned him on.

‘You never know what we might need. Anything catch your eye?’ she offered, gesturing into the chest.

‘I have my things in the trunk of my car,’ he declined.

Mato leaned in and picked up a small folded shovel and a spray, and threw them in her bag. ‘In case we need to dig through the snow to get the trunk open.’

Doc stood out of the way while she locked everything up then climbed into the car. It was much more comfortable than his Cadillac. The seats were high and well sprung. There was a host of buttons and lights,

When she fired up the engine, it was almost silent in comparison to his vehicle. They drove around the diner, then stopped near where Doc’s car was parked. It was the only lump in the car park. She started to dig the snow away, but Doc quickly grabbed the spade from her and took over.

Once the lock was visible, Mato leant in and sprayed it. ‘It’s a de-icer. It should help unfreeze the lock,’ she explained.

Doc tried his key and was pleased when the trunk popped open.

He leaned in and grabbed his belt and holster. He had felt almost naked without it the last few days, but had taken it off whenever he entered the diner as he didn’t think the patrons would appreciate him being armed.

Once that was on, he opened a small pouch which had a large knife, not as large as the one Mato had in her back, but this one sat nicely at his hip. He picked out another two much smaller knives which he fitted into his boots. As he reached to close the trunk, Mato was grinning at him.

‘What?’ he inquired. She glanced at the gun and his knives, and just smiled as she walked back to her truck.

*

Mato pulled out of the car park and headed out towards the freeway. As the miles flew by, they started talking about their careers.

‘So why a diner?’ Doc asked.

Mato shrugged. ‘The diner used to be really run down, and I remember driving past it a few times as a kid, and it always made me sad that it looked so neglected. By the time I left college, it was closed down, and had been for a few years. By then, I had inherited _wowahwa phiyá_ , and was the Hunter.’ She paused briefly, trying to figure out how to word the next bit.

She glanced over at Doc who was eagerly awaiting the next part of her story. ‘When the heir inherits, and becomes the Hunter, they don’t just inherit the dreams. They also inherit abilities.’

‘Abilities?’ Doc queried.

‘Well, yeah. I’m not talking super strength or anything, but Hunters _are_ stronger. Sight and hearing is improved, and we are faster too. When tracking your prey the increased endurance is vital. These days, with GPS technology and satellite imaging, it’s a whole lot easier.’

‘So how does this feed into you running a diner?’ he asked, clearly confused.

‘Ahh yes, well,’ she laughed nervously. ‘I had just finished college, a history major in case you are interested, and of course I had a whole bunch of student debt. I’d been training with a bow since pre-adolescence, ever since it was discovered I was a dream walker, and therefore, the heir. Add into that, the increased strength, sight and so on, I figured a good way to clear off my debt while I decided what to do with my life, was to do a few archery competitions. There are several large ones around the country, with significant prize funds. I was able to win every competition without too much effort. Plus… being a young Native girl, it was always easy to hustle some big pot-bellied racist hunter on the side, that thought he was all that.’

Doc roared with laughter. ‘I can’t believe you are a hustler,’ he bellowed. ‘Darlin’, you and I truly are made for each other,’ he added with a final few sniggers.

Mato blushed. She wasn’t exactly proud of the fact that she had tricked people, but she was young and more foolish then. ‘Anyway, once my debts were paid, I did a few more of the larger competitions, like the one in Vegas, and with the prize money I bought the diner and had it completely renovated. The rest of my money, I invested in my tribe’s casino and a few other stocks.’ She shrugged. ‘I do okay. I can survive on the diner’s income alone, so I tend to just let the other money accumulate, so I have a nest egg for my retirement.’

Doc started to clap softly. ‘I applaud you, Mato, and your exemplary management of money. If only I had faired so well.’

‘What about you? Why did you move from a respectable profession such as dentistry, to gambling?’

‘I was a fairly good dentist, and had a practice for several years. However, business dwindled when I got ill. No one wanted a dentist with the consumption. I moved to gambling, which, despite how it is viewed now, was considered reasonably respectable back then. I had a natural ability to remember what cards had been played, and the likelihood of obtaining a high or low card. It was pure mathematics and probability, but some considered it cheating. I didn’t, I considered it utilising my natural abilities, much like you and your archery competitions. People sure did get sore when I won, though. I would have to defend myself many times, and so my skills with a gun and knife became known,’ he explained.

‘So, are all the stories true then?’ Mato asked.

Doc smiled and winked at her. ‘Unlikely. Until I was with Wyatt and worked with him as a lawman, I didn’t actually kill that many folk. I may have started a few rumours to the contrary though,’ he added, stroking his moustache. ‘Having a reputation was a bigger deterrent than any gun, though sometimes it did work against me as there are always those out to prove themselves.’

She saw his expression darken then. ‘By the time I was in my mid-thirties, the west had changed. People didn’t need gunslingers, or card sharps. I was at a loss, and considered getting back into dentistry. I was told by physicians then that I had weeks to live, maybe months if I was lucky. It was then I decided to seek out the witch.’


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc and Mato hit the road. They come upon their prey and Doc gets to witness Mato as the Hunter

Doc could feel the anger and hatred growing again. He pushed it away. It had hardly been present the last few days, either due to Mato’s calming influence, or her promise to help him get a resolution. He reminded himself that once they had dealt with Mato’s business, we would be going to see her grandfather. He prayed that the shaman would have an answer for them. He felt like his life was on hold. He had had a glimpse of happiness, and felt this attachment to the witch was the final obstacle to preventing him from jumping into life, to re-joining the rest of the human race.

A short while later, they pulled into the town Mato suspected the creature was preying on. Calling it a town was a stretch. There were a few buildings clustered together, one of which was a bar that claimed to have rooms available. The rest of the town seemed to consist of sprawling farmsteads.

‘Let’s get a room sorted and some food, then once it starts to go dark we can head out,’ Mato suggested.

They parked up and walked into the bar, choosing to leave their belongings in the truck for the time being. As they approached the bar, Doc’s eyes lit up at the row of whiskies on the wall.

When the bartender approached, Mato asked if they had any rooms available for one night.

Doc looked around. Now this was the sort of tavern he remembered. The place looked dingy, even for his standards and despite it not even being 3 PM yet, there were several patrons that looked like they had had more than their fair share of liquor. There was a pool table where a game was currently in play, a half dozen rickety tables and a juke box that apparently wasn’t working going by the misspelled sign stuck to it.

 Doc looked back at the bar tender, and noticed he was looking at him, and ignoring Mato despite her being the one that asked the question. ‘I believe the lady asked you a question,’ he drawled.

‘Yeah, we got a room,’ the man mumbled through a mouth with only half its teeth, still ignoring Mato.

Behind them, one of the pool players crept closer, and Doc saw him staring at Mato’s ass. ‘Did yer steal her from the reservation or somethin’,’ he chuckled. ‘Or are you just playin’ a game of cowboys ‘n’ injuns?’

Doc bristled. ‘Sir, I suggest you apologise to the lady immediately, or we may have a problem.’

Mato mumbled something about just leaving it, but Doc was focussed on the small man that had spoken. He had lank greasy hair, and a faded T-shirt littered with what Doc could only presume to be food stains.

‘A problem, eh?’ the small man answered, feeling brave in the company of his much larger pool opponent who had stepped closer, and was currently brandishing the cue in a threatening manner.

Doc pushed the front of his coat back so it hung behind his holster, and lightly rested his fingers against the Colt Thunder.

Mato reached over and rested her hand against his arm. ‘I got this, Doc.’

‘It’s alright, I just…’ but he was interrupted by Mato, who spoke much more firmly this time.

‘I said, I _got_ this.’ She held his gaze, determination on her face.

She didn’t look the least bit surprised by this treatment. This broke his heart. He realised then she had probably lived her whole life with this kind of treatment because of her heritage. The fact the darker aspects of humanity, such as racism, still existed in this modern world, where cultures integrated and blended all over the world seemed ridiculous to Doc.

He nodded at Mato, letting her know he would play things her way. The corner of her mouth twitched in the briefest of grateful smiles. She turned towards the small man.

‘I promise my friend here will leave you alone, this is between you and I,’ Mato said to the man. He grinned at her, pushing strands of lank hair. ‘So… that apology?’ she asked him.

He turned to his friends and laughed. ‘Apology?’ he guffawed. ‘I don’t think so, Pocahontas,’ he said as turned back to her. Before the final note of his laughter had died, Mato’s right fist shot out and made contact with the man’s face. Doc heard the moment his nose broke. As her fist withdrew, a crimson torrent of blood gushed down the man’s face. The big guy with the pool queue started squaring up, as the smaller man squealed in pain.

Doc moved to stand between the big man and Mato, more out of instinct than necessity. Clearly, Mato didn’t need his help to protect herself.

‘For fuck’s sake,’ bellowed the barkeep behind them. ‘What have I told you two about harassing the customers?’ He moved from behind the bar and pushed the two pool players into chairs.

He turned to Mato. ‘My apologies, miss.’

Doc thought it was probably time to leave, so he tipped his hat to the barkeep. ‘Good day to you, sir,’ and he grabbed Mato’s elbow, and moved towards the door.

Once they were a few strides back out into the snow, Doc clapped her hard on the back. ‘Whooo hooo,’ he yelled. ‘I do enjoy a good bar brawl.’

Mato looked at him, in surprise and amusement.

‘You handled yourself very well in there, my dear. When I heard his nose break, I couldn’t have been more proud.’

Mato just shook her head and rolled her eyes. ‘Cowboys!’ she laughed.

‘So where are we going to sleep tonight?’ he asked once they climbed back in the car.

Mato thought for a second. ‘I think I saw a hunting store a few miles back the way we came. I expect they will have sleeping bags. We get a couple, then sleep in the car. There’s plenty of room if we drop the backseats down.’

‘Probably for the best, my sweet,’ Doc nodded. ‘I fear you would have not been the only thing I’d have shared a bed with in that establishment.’

* 

They picked up some sleeping bags, along with some MREs. Mato then drove in the direction she suspected the beast to be.

It was late afternoon when they parked off the road at the edge of a wooded area. Mato pushed the rear seats flat, then spread out the sleeping bags in the back.

She scooped a cupful of snow in her travel mug that she melted by plugging into the cigarette lighter.

Once the snow was melted, Mato tore open the flameless ration heater and poured in some of the water, then folded it around the two food pouches, then back in the MRE box. She put it down and proceeded to do the same with the next one.

Doc watched on, clearly fascinated. ‘What is it you are doing?’ he eventually asked, his curiosity getting the better of him.

Mato handed him one of the boxes. She saw his eyes widen when he realised it was warm. ‘How?’ was all he asked.

‘The packet I poured water in has powdered magnesium, salt and iron. The chemical reaction boils the water, which in turn, heats the food.’

She smiled at the wonder on his face. ‘Amazing,’ he exclaimed.

After waiting a few minutes, she tore open the food packets and started eating. She urged him to do the same. ‘If all goes well, it’s a habit you will need to get back.’

She watched as he cautiously tasted the food, then shrug before continuing. She was sure that he was eating it out of politeness. He certainly wasn’t eating it with the same enthusiasm she had seen him eat her pie, which gave her a certain amount of pleasure.

After they had eaten, Mato put all the wrappers in a bag. According to her phone, they had about 30 minutes before sun set. _Enough time to get a bead on this thing_ , she thought.

‘Doc, I need to meditate now to help me pin point the creature. Once I have done, we will need to leave immediately. Grab what you are taking, and join me outside.’

Mato grabbed her bow, quiver and knife, some matches and a smudge stick and feather. She took off her coat, and knelt on it, facing the sun that was heading towards the horizon. She lit the stick with the match, and blew it out. She was vaguely aware of Doc climbing out of the car, then closed her eyes. She wafted the smoke anti-clockwise around her head, then down over her body in a figure eight, as she offered quiet prayers in her native tongue to her ancestors and the Great Spirit. She sang ancient songs, music that had been passed down through generations of her people.

She felt her spirit soar out of her body. It knew its target and flew in the direction of the beast. Going by the sun, it was north east. Her spirit travelled much faster than she could on foot, and found the creature in moments. Every instinct made her want to fly down and eviscerate the creature, but her form was incorporeal, therefore useless.

She guided her spirit back to her body. She had to act quickly. The beast was on the move and heading towards a farmstead. As she got near her body, she could see Doc kneeled in front of her, his hands on her shoulders as he bent to peer at her face. With a sensation akin to falling down a hole, she dropped into her body. Her eyes flew open with a gasp.

It took a second, but she managed to focus on Doc’s face.

‘Mato! Mato! Are you alright?’ he asked desperately. Mato didn’t have time to explain. She picked up her quiver, and threw the strap over her shoulder. She grabbed her bow out of its wrapping then picked up the knife in her other hand, and started running north east.

‘Mato!’ she heard a startled Doc cry from behind her. She kept running.

She ran faster and she could feel the muscles in her legs burning as she waded through the deep snow. The power of the Hunter started to flow through her veins. She could feel the capacity of her lungs increasing, the muscles in her legs becoming fluid and strong. As the sun finally dipped behind the horizon, her eyesight became acute. The trees suddenly became alive, everything was in high contrast and sharp detail. She stopped momentarily, sniffing the air. She could hear Doc crashing through the trees behind her, but her Hunter could only focus on the prey.

Mato grabbed an arrow and nocked it, before running in a crouched stance. There it was, advancing towards a homestead. A Two-Face. It was much larger than a man, but humanoid in shape. Its naked form was covered in rough grey skin. There were lethal looking spikes protruding from its elbows. Mato could just about make out the details of an ugly and deformed secondary face on the back of its head. Mato looked away from its eyes in case it saw her. She remembered from her folk lore that looking in the eyes of the second face can cause paralysis. It occurred she should have probably told Doc this.

She continued to creep closer. It hadn’t spotted her yet. She dropped down to one knee and drew back. Once the arrow was drawn back to her cheek, she exhaled, and steadied herself. She lined up the shot, and let loose.

The creature screamed, and reached over a shoulder to try and remove the shaft that was wedged below its shoulder blade, the sharp flint piercing the thickened skin easily. The wound was smoking, as if her arrows were burning the beast, and by the way it was screaming they were causing considerable pain.

Mato stood and nocked another arrow. She felt the strength of the Hunter, and the exhilaration of the hunt course through her. She let out a war whoop, and the creature turned its baleful stare directly at her. It charged towards her, so she knelt and loosed the second arrow. The arrow struck in the centre of its chest, and the creature stumbled, another painful howl echoing around the darkening trees.

Mato had hoped that two arrows would be enough, but the creature seemed to gather itself and charged again with an uncanny strength and speed. Quickly, she reached behind her to her quiver and grabbed a third arrow. She nocked and loosed it immediately, the creature almost upon her. It missed. Mato was stunned. Somehow, at this close distance, the beast had been able to move from the arrow’s path.

It was mere seconds until it was upon her. Not enough time to fly another arrow, so she reached for her knife. As her hand touched the knife’s sheath, she saw the creature, almost in slow motion, reaching for her with large clawed hands. There was no time to get the knife, so she dropped onto her back, raising a leg. As the creature lunged for her, her leg made contact with its sternum and she grabbed its shoulders. Using her position, her Hunter strength, and the monster’s own momentum, she threw it over her.

She smelled its fetid breath as it landed heavily behind her. She quickly scrambled for the knife. She couldn’t see it! In the scuffle, it had been covered in snow. She frantically ran her hands around, just under the surface of the snow, searching desperately, expecting the beast’s spiked elbows to pierce her any second.

A shot rang out.

The creature that had been rising, stumbled. _Doc!_ Another shot. It stumbled again. A third shot. The beast roared its anger and frustration.

Her hand brushed something hard, and she grabbed the knife. Yanking it from its sheath, she stood and leapt in one balletic movement, driving the point of her blade into the base of its neck.

The creature’s cry turned into a gurgle, just as its claws were inches from Doc’s face. Mato saw him scramble backwards out of the way, still pointing his gun at the beast. She pulled out the knife, its blade covered in black blood, and moved around the side of the beast. Holding the handle with both hands, she swung at its neck. The head rolled off, and bounced into the snow.

Mato dropped her knife. Suddenly exhausted, she used the last of her strength to crawl to Doc, who scooped her in his arms.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc watches over Mato as she recovers from her ordeal, but a misunderstanding threatens to drive a wedge between them

Doc held onto Mato tightly. He had witnessed the power of the Hunter first hand and how utterly fearless she could be. She had looked so small next to the creature, he had been terrified. He was convinced the beast had her when she had fell back, not realising at first this was a deliberate manoeuvre. His relief had been huge when he saw her move.

When he realised she had lost her knife, he couldn’t just stand by any longer. He wasn’t sure if it would do any good or if it would just piss the creature off, but he took a shot at it. He hit it in the chest, right next to where Mato’s arrow had struck. The creature hadn’t looked injured by the bullet, but it had staggered, giving Mato a valuable second to search for her knife. He shot again, and then a third shot.

The beast lunged at him. _Yep, I pissed it off_ , he thought as he danced back out of its reach. It had worked though. It had given Mato time to find her blade and finish the beast off.

He squeezed her again, burying his face in her hair.

‘Are you ok, Mato?’ he asked

He felt her nod, and leaned back to look in her eyes, to confirm for himself what she said was true. She looked exhausted, dark shadows appearing under her eyes.

‘May I suggest we get back to the vehicle? Not only is this creature the ugliest thing I have ever laid my eyes on, but quite possibly the smelliest too,’ he added.

Mato made a noise that he assumed was an exhausted laugh. He helped her up, then passed her her weapons. With an arm around her shoulder, he supported her back to the vehicle.

He helped her climb in the back, and she started to strip off her snow-wet clothes, as he loaded the rest of the stuff in the vehicle and closed the door.

She was shivering by now, in just her underwear, so he helped her climb into her sleeping bag. He also draped her coat over the top half of her body. He took off his own coat and hat, and sat with his back against the front seats. He gently pulled her closer to him so her head was in his lap, and watched over her sleep by the light of a small torch.

As dawn broke, Mato started to rouse. She had slept so still and heavily, Doc had on a couple of occasions frantically checked she was still breathing. He watched as her eyes opened, squinting in the morning light that spilled through the steamed up windows of the truck. He smiled at her, his heart bursting with love for this women. What a difference she had made to his life in such a short time. She had given him the hope, the purpose and the companionship he had yearned for. He knew he would be lost without her now.

‘Hey,’ she croaked, her voice still sleepy.

‘Good morning,’ he replied with a smile. ‘How do you feel?’

‘Pretty good, considering.’ She lifted out her arms from the sleeping bag, and stretched like a cat as she yawned. Doc caught a glimpse of her breasts, still covered in her lacy bra, and immediately felt arousal. He shimmied his hips to move himself down so that he was laid flat next to her. She leaned in to kiss him, softly and tenderly at first, but a passion and urgency quickly developed. He pulled back to look in her beautiful eyes once more and saw her need reflecting his own.

Mato rolled onto her back, yielding her mouth and body to him. His hand pulled down the zipper of her sleeping bag, and as the cooler air hit her nipples they hardened immediately. Doc carefully pulled down the cups of her bra so he could nuzzle the tender flesh. Mato sighed contentedly beneath him.

He peeled back the sleeping bag further, while still nuzzling on her breasts. Once her limbs were free, she reached down a hand and he felt her start to tug at his belt. He took over unfastening his own clothes, and Mato pushed her own panties down to her knees then used her feet to get them completely off.

As soon as he had freed his erection, Mato had her hands on it. The sight of her hand wrapped around his flesh was making him harder still. He moved his hips over her and pointed his tip at her entrance. He could feel how wet she was, how ready she was. He pushed forward, and she made a grateful and prolonged moan as she stretched to accommodate his girth

He held himself there for a moment, revelling in the sensation of being encased in her hot wet cunt.

‘Fuck me,’ she begged. He was taken aback by her candour, but complied immediately. He withdrew and pushed forward as hard and deep as he could. His pace built up until it was frenetic, each thrust accompanied by a muffled cry of lust and an erotic jiggle of her breasts.

Her interlocked legs behind him pulled him deeper, preventing him from withdrawing too far. It wasn’t long before he felt her tense beneath him, and her internal muscles clamp onto him tightly as she came on his buried cock. The fierce grip of her pussy caused him to release his seed, flooding her depths. Ever nerve tingled with a pleasure unlike any other, and his brain became momentarily foggy with euphoria. He moved to kiss her, soft and romantic, full of emotion and love.

‘Are you always this amorous after a kill?’ he asked. ‘Because if you are, you need to do it more often.’

Mato laughed, her internal muscles squeezing his sensitive flesh. It was almost unbearable, and he had to pull out with a cry. He rolled onto his back, and Mato lifted her head so she could keep kissing him.

He pulled her face back, cupping her cheeks in his hands, his expression now serious. ‘Mato, whatever happens today, whether we break this curse or not, I dedicate the rest of my days to you. If I have to watch you grew old and die, then so be it. It would be just as painful to live my life without you now.’

* 

Mato considered his words, and a grin slowly spread across her face.

‘I love you, too,’ she added, before planting a quick kiss on his lips. ‘Now, stop lounging around and let’s get moving,’ and she began to rummage among her things to find fresh clothes.

She saw confusion dance across Doc’s face. He had just declared his feelings for her, quite literally, undying love. The casual nature in which she aired her feelings in return, she knew wasn’t what he had expected. He didn’t say anything, but just dressed himself silently.

They set off on the second half of their journey, and the longer the silence stretched on, the more she regretted her earlier actions. Replaying the situation in her head, she could see that it may have appeared as mere lip service. _Surely he knows how I feel?_

It wasn’t that she had less depth of feelings, but she knew they still had trials to face, trials that needed her strong and focused. She wanted more than anything to languish in her feelings for Doc, but she couldn’t afford to right now.

They headed west into Montana, towards her family’s home, and Doc was still silent. Unusually so.

After about an hour, she pulled in to refuel. Mato was starting to feel sick at this widening chasm between them. She had held back because she wanted to remain undistracted, but she found she was more distracted than ever. Several times on the morning’s drive she had felt the prickle of tears behind her eyes.

When she climbed back into the vehicle, she sat still, the engine ticking over quietly.

‘Doc?’

‘Mmm?’ he mumbled with a start. His thoughts had been miles away.

‘I owe you an apology.’

Doc looked at her with what was clearly fake cheer. ‘What in heaven’s for?’ he laughed.

‘For my flippancy. For being too focused on the task ahead, and not affording you the time needed to fully express how pleased I was by your statement this morning.’ Mato chewed her lip nervously, waiting for him to respond.

‘I assure you, Mato, you have nothing to apologise for. I am just an old man, full of insecurities and mistrust.’ His voice cracked with emotion. ‘ _I_ apologise to _you_ , for making you feel I was wounded in any way other than my pride.’

Mato smiled in relief and leaned over to give him a quick, but deep kiss. ‘Then let’s carry on with our journey. Still a few hours yet before we cross the border into tribal lands.’

* 

Doc was drinking in the sights as they headed west on Highway 2. The land was so wide and flat, the grey mid-day sky seemingly going on for ever. It was a beautiful land, and he could understand why the indigenous people fought so hard to keep it.

Doc was fascinated with everything. Some of this country had changed to the point it was unrecognisable as the same world he knew, but out here in the largely unspoiled wilds, this was the country he remembered.

They passed a few agricultural fields, a few herds of cows, and a couple of farms. ‘I sort of expected to see herds of buffalo,’ he declared once they crossed into tribal land.

Mato huffed. ‘What you’re actually thinking of is bison. Buffalo are from Africa, but the two creatures do look similar. Wild bison were wiped out here back in your day, from over hunting by the white man before the reservation was formulated. A few years ago though, a small herd was reintroduced from Yellowstone. It’s a matter of great pride.’

A few hours later, Mato pulled up to a house a few miles outside Wolf Point. She sat for a second, looking at the house. Doc watched her face, lost in long ago memories. He wondered what was going through her mind, whether they were happy or sad memories.

A small native woman opened the door, and Mato smiled immediately and climbed out of the car. Doc followed her lead, and heard the woman cry out once she recognised the visitors.

‘Mato!’ She held out her arms and Mato leaned down into the embrace. Doc walked slowly behind her, and when the older woman noticed his presence, she asked something of Mato in a language he didn’t understand.

‘English please, mama.’

‘Who is this?’ the woman repeated, looking at his suspiciously.

‘Mama, this is Do… John Henry. He’s a dentist. And a friend. John Henry, this is my mother.’

Doc took off his hat and held out a hand, and when the older woman finally took it, he inclined his head. ‘It’s my honour to meet you, ma’am.’

Mama looked at Mato, and inclined her head towards Doc with a smirk. ‘What kinda friend?’ she asked, raising a brow.

‘Mama, behave.’

The three of them entered the home. The home was cosy, if a little cramped. There seemed to be a lot of nick-nacks on shelves and in cabinets. There was so much, it was almost cluttered. Doc wondered if this was the home that Mato had grown up in. He gravitated towards a wall bearing a large collection of family photos. There were many pictures that were clearly as old as him. One sepia-toned picture featured eight men, all with serious expressions on their faces, half of them carrying pipes.

Doc beamed when he saw a colour picture of a young girl in pigtails, a huge grin and a brace on her teeth. He would recognise that smile anywhere. He grinned over at Mato, and pointed a finger at the picture.

She saw where he was pointing and just rolled her eyes and laughed.

‘We’ve come to see _kwa’a_ ,’ she said to her mother. ‘We have a problem with a _powaqa._ ’

Mama nodded. ‘He is up at his lodge, as usual.’

‘We will head there immediately,’ Mato told her, then gave the small woman a kiss.

Mato indicted the door with her head, and Doc followed her. As they were climbing in the vehicle, Doc heard Mama call out. ‘Will you be back for supper?’

‘I don’t know, Mama.’

She waved at her mother, then drove out and took a dirt track that led around the back of the property. A couple of miles later, they pulled up in front of a tipi. Doc climbed out of the car, fascinated by the modern example of an ancient home.

‘You’re grandfather doesn’t live here, does he?’ he asked.

Mato snorted. ‘He’s eighty six – he lives in the house, but he likes to come up here and smoke… and get away from my mother,’ she ended with a wink.

‘ _Kwa’a_! It’s Mato,’ she spoke loudly before pulling back the flap. Just before she went in, she beckoned Doc with her finger to follow him. He pushed through.

Despite the sun setting, and the low temperatures outside, the inside of the tipi was cosy. An old man, with skin weathered by time and the sun sat on a pile of furs. Everything about the tipi looked traditional in style, from the material to the hand painted decorations on the skins, yet anachronistically, the man he presumed to be her grandfather was wearing a sweater, jeans and sneakers.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Doc has to convince the old shaman he deserves his help and his grand-daughter

Mato sat opposite her grandfather, pleased to see that he looked well. Her father had left the reservation when she was just a baby, and so her mother’s father had become her sole male role model.

‘How, daughter of my daughter.’

‘Cut the crap, grandpa. He’s not a tourist.’

‘Shit, Mato. It’s my only fun these day,’ the old man chuckled. ‘So who’s the _wasichu_?’

‘Grandpa, this is John Henry. He is my…,’ she paused, not sure how to categorise what he was to her. She felt saying betrothed would be a bit presumptive. ‘He is my beloved. John Henry, this is my grandfather, Wapasha.’

The old man scrutinised Doc, and she noticed him squirm a little under the attention, his blue-grey eyes flicking towards her nervously.

‘He is old,’ said the elder. ‘Even older than me,’ he finished with a laugh, clearly finding this amusing.

‘Doc, do you want to explain?’ Mato asked.

Doc cleared his throat. ‘My full name is John Henry Holliday, but everyone used to call me Doc. I was born in 1851 in Georgia. In my 36th year, I was about to die of the consumption, when a witch offered me a deal. She cursed me with a long life, one where I have to watch people I love wither and die while I do not age.’

Doc looked at Mato, and she reached for his hand. ‘I am tied to this witch somehow. When I tried to kill her, I too suffered the injuries I inflicted. Sir, your grand-daughter told me you might be able to help.’

Wapasha looked at him silently. ‘What did your father do, Mr Holliday?’

Mato’s heart sank.

‘He was a soldier, sir,’ Doc answered.

‘And what wars did he fight in?’

Doc gulped. ‘He fought John Ross in the Cherokee war, then fought in the Mexican-American war, and in the Civil War.’

‘And on what side did he fight in your Civil War?’

‘On the Confederate side, sir,’ Doc answered, fidgeting with his hat.

Mato looked at her grandfather, unable to read the thoughts on his ancient face. She was confident that he could help her and Doc, but the question was, would he want to.

‘You are the son of a man who killed my brethren, Cherokee and Mexican, a man who fought in a war to protect its rights to _own_ other people. Why should I help the son of such a man?’

Doc bristled, and for a moment, Mato thought he was going to lose his temper.

‘Well, sir, I can see why you wouldn’t want to. But, since I have met Mato, I have confronted my own ignorance. I have accepted the bitter truth of my ancestor’s past. However, I try to look forward and progress, while keeping one foot in the past. It is important for us all to remember, so we may teach future generations about the past’s terrible crimes and the persecutions our ancestors made against other humans.’

* 

Doc awaited his judgement silently. He held tightly on to Mato’s hand, deriving comfort from it.

Wapasha stared at Doc with eyes as dark as Mato’s. ‘I can see you are a man that with some honour. Because of that, and because my grand-daughter has asked, I will give you my help. I seek only one thing from you,’ he added solemnly.

Doc felt a rush of exhilaration. ‘Anything within my power to give, sir.’

The elder shaman looked at Mato, and the stern expression he had held for Doc softened noticeably. ‘Mato is very dear to me. She has been the light of my life since she was born. I have been her protector, not that she needs me anymore, but I am not much longer for this world…’

‘ _Kwa’a_! Don’t talk like that,’ Mato interrupted.

Wapasha ignored her. ‘Mr Holliday, I want you to promise that you will protect her until the last of your breath leaves your body.’

Doc placed a hand over his heart. ‘Until my last breath, I swear.’

‘OK, leave me a while to meditate,’ and he shooed them away with a wave of his liver-spotted hand. Mato and Doc stood up to leave, but Mato stepped around the fire and kissed her grandfather on the head, before following Doc outside.

‘Are we going back to the house?’ Doc asked.

‘Nah, we can just wait here. If we get cold, we can sit in the truck, but I want to just enjoy the sky.’

The sun had set now, and Doc looked up to the night sky. Unlike in the towns, there was no light pollution here, and he could see the stars laid out like jewels in the sky.

‘Wow, there’s so many!’ he exclaimed.

‘Uncountable as the trees in a forest or the leaves on a tree,’ Mato murmured.

‘How very poetic of you, my dear.’ Doc grinned.

Mato laughed. ‘It’s a quote from a book, one of my favourites actually, called Stardust.’

‘Then I shall make a point of reading it upon our return.’ They sat huddled together on a small bench, enjoying each other’s closeness. Doc could smell Mato’s perfume, and it was as intoxicating as ever.

He leaned over to kiss her, and just as their lips met, the elder shaman shouted Mato with a voice more powerful than he would have credited to a man of his advanced years.

* 

Mato led the way back into the tipi, which was now filled with fragrant and heady smoke.

‘Do you have some news for us, _Kwa’a_?’ Mato asked.

‘I do, grand-daughter.’ The man waited until they were both seated before continuing. ‘I have sought this witch on the spirit plane. I was able to trace her following the connection from Mr Holliday. The witch has his soul on a tether. You were right when you said you were connected,’ he said this last sentence to Doc.

‘Is there a way to separate them? Mato asked.

‘If you physically harm the witch, then you risk physically harming Mr Holliday. You must defeat her spirit form to cut the tether.’

Mato looked at Doc, excited. ‘That’s great news, _Kwa’a_.’

‘How do we do that?’ asked Doc.

‘I can help you send your spirits to her, but there are a couple of complications you should know before we proceed. If you cut the tether, there is a good chance Mr Holliday will die within a matter of weeks. His spirit has been consumed by the witch’s, and is almost depleted. He must merge with another.’

Mato blinked in surprise. ‘Merge with another?’ She looked at Doc. ‘Am I able to merge with his spirit?’ she asked.

Her grandfather nodded. ‘Yes, your connection is already very strong so this should be easy to do. However, there is a cost to you, Mato.’

‘A cost?’ Doc asked. ‘Please don’t risk harm on my behalf, Mato.

She placed a hand over Doc’s, then turned back to her grandfather. ‘What cost?’

‘Your spirit is already merged with that of the Hunter. If you merge with Mr Holliday, you will no longer be the Hunter.’

Mato’s mouth dropped. She had not expected this.

‘Mato, this is too great a cost.’ Doc urged her.

She shook her head. ‘No, no it isn’t.’ Mato spoke to her grandfather. ‘Is the new heir ready?’

Wapasha nodded.

Mato turned to Doc. ‘Being the Hunter is very important to me, a great honour, but you are important to me too. I have no hesitation agreeing. I just… I don’t know how to live as just a regular person.’

Doc held her chin. ‘You’re an amazing person, Mato, Hunter or not. That aspect of you is awe inspiring, your bravery, courageousness, your abilities, but I would be just as happy spending my life with Mato, waitress and diner owner. Either way, my desire for you will never fade.’

Mato grasped his hand that now cupped her cheek, and pressed a kiss into the palm.

‘How do we do this, _Kwa’a_?’


	13. Chapter 13

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The battle for Doc's soul

Wapasha made them both lay down, their heads side by side. ‘I need you both to relax, and breathe deeply,’ he instructed them.

Doc closed his eyes, his nostrils suddenly full of a sweet smelling smoke. He started to feel a little dizzy, light headed. He could feel Mato at the side of him, and took comfort from her presence. He trusted her.

His body felt light, as if he could float away up to the stars. Despite his eyes being closed, and being inside the tipi, he could see the stars in the sky. He felt himself moving towards them, picking up speed. He was just about to start panicking but felt the presence of someone there with him. When he turned to get a look at his companion, his movement felt sluggish. He was surprised to see his companion was a huge bear.

The bear was ethereal, almost translucent. It turned its head to look at him. Its mouth opened in a roar. The cry wasn’t aggressive in nature, quite the opposite Doc felt, though he knew not how. There was something about the bear that seemed familiar, like he should recognise it.

Suddenly, the bear roared again, this time it was aggressive, but not at him. With him and the bear, he sensed another creature had joined them among the stars. Similar to his companion, this creature was ethereal, but instead of a bear it was a snake.

The bear swooped past him and lunged at the snake. Doc still found it sluggish to manoeuvre. He turned just as the two spirits collided. The bear’s razor-sharp claws raked glowing wounds on the snake, and the snake’s fangs left punctures on the bear. The fight was vicious, and it looked like the snake was winning as it sank huge fangs into the bear’s shoulder, its long serpentine body wrapped around the bear. With a feral roar that seemed to shake the very heavens, the bear clawed at the snake, ripping it away from its shoulder. The bear grabbed the snake in its powerful jaw just below its head and shook it violently. The snake’s tail thrashed in its desperation to escape, then stopped and lay still. The bear let go of the snake and roared its victory.

Something was wrong. Doc felt weird.

Suddenly he started to fall. He felt himself gathering speed as he plummeted to the ground. The bear roared once more, and raced after him. He held out a hand, and reached for the creature, sensing that it was trying to save him.

His fingertips grazed the claws on the huge bear paws. He briefly wondered why his hand hadn’t just passed through the spirit bear. He reached again, and managed to grab onto the large paw. The bear pulled him close, wrapping its huge arms around him in a powerful hug. He squeezed his eyes shut, anticipating the impact of the ground any second. Instead, he was suddenly aware that he was laid on his back, on solid ground.

He could once again smell the fragrant smoke of the tipi, and feel Mato laying next to him. His eyes flew open with a gasp.

‘What happened?’ he croaked, his throat dry.

He turned to look at Mato, just as she woke. ‘Did it work, grandpa?’

The old man nodded, a proud smile on his face.

Doc was confused. ‘I… I don’t understand what happened. There was a bear... and a snake,’ he scratched at his chin, confused. ‘And I fell!’ he added loudly, patting himself down searching for injuries.

Wapasha laughed. ‘You never left the ground, Mr Holliday.’

Doc was confused. His head was starting to ache from the smokiness of the tipi. He needed some fresh air. ‘But… the bear… it saved me.’

Mato was laughing, and crying, and he wasn’t sure if they were tears of sadness or joy. ‘Doc, in my people’s language, Mato means bear.’

Doc let this sink in for a moment. ‘So the snake… was that Constance, the witch?’

Mato nodded. ‘When my spirit defeated her, your tether to her broke. I caught you, so… now you’re stuck with me,’ she laughed.

‘Well… don’t I just have the worse luck,’ he quipped.

She threw a mock punch into his shoulder, but he grabbed her and pulled her to him for a kiss. ‘Truly, I could not be happier,’ he confessed.

‘I have to warn you, Mr Holliday. You have to keep the promise you made me. Now that you are bound to Mato, should she come to harm, that same harm befalls you. And as Mato does not have a prolonged life, you will age and grew old, then return to the earth.

Doc looked at Mato, and smiled. ‘I will keep my promise, sir.’

‘Are you happy to grow old with me?’ Mato asked.

Doc nuzzled her neck. ‘Yes, I’m happy. Happy to grow old, have a family…’

‘Wait! What? A family?’

‘Yup, a family.’

Wapasha huffed, and stood up. ‘Well, if you’re going to start making babies, I’m gonna go back to the house and get some supper.’

Mato made to get up and follow her grandfather. Doc pulled her back.

‘Before we go, I’m still waiting on an answer to my question.’

Mato looked at him, her brow wrinkled in confusion. ‘What question?’

‘Prince… or frog?’

Mato laughed and kissed him deeply. She broke the kiss to whisper into his mouth.

‘Prince, of course.’

 

THE END


End file.
